A Hawaiian Airlines passenger got booted off a flight Wednesday after he threatened to “take someone behind the woodshed” and refused to pay $12 for a blanket, officials said.

The incident began after the plane took off from Las Vegas, and a 66-year-old passenger complained that he was cold, according to Officer Rob Pedregon, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Airport Police Department.

He asked for a blanket and was told it would cost $12, the officer said. The man became upset and said he shouldn’t have to pay because it was cold, he said.

So he asked to speak with the airline’s corporate office. During an in-flight call with company representatives, the man allegedly said, “I would like to take someone behind the woodshed for this.”


After the man’s comment, the flight was diverted to LAX due to “an unruly passenger,” and airport police were called, Pedregon said.

Police and federal authorities met with the flight crew and passenger when the plane landed at 10:20 a.m.

Officers listened to the man’s complaints and then sent him on his way. Police determined there was no criminal threat, Pedregon said.

The man managed to catch another flight, he said.


veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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