Report of an unruly passenger incident aboard AirTran Flight 39, a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco, that caused NORAD to launch fighter jets and follow the commercial airliner. Two F-16′s from Tyndall Air Force Base Florida were launched at 11:44 a.m. (TIME ZONE?) to escort the flight.

The flight landed safely in Fort Collins, Colorado, and all passengers are safe. The flight later proceeded to San Francisco — arriving 12:19 PM PST.

AirTran Airways’ largest hub is in Atlanta.

See also FlightAware > Airtran Airways #39

SOURCE: F-16s scrambled and airliner diverted to Colorado Springs due to unruly passenger

F-16C over Lake Michigan shoreline at the Chicago Air & Water Show on August 21, 2004. SW tail designation is from the 20th FW, Shaw AFB, in South Carolina, Air Combat Command (ACC). The ‘C’ designates a single seat configuration.

The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight, daytime fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft — including night operations capability. The F-16′s versatility is a paramount reason it has proven a success on the export market, having been selected to serve in the air forces of 25 nations. The F-16 is the largest Western jet fighter program with over 4,400 aircraft built since production was approved in 1976.

FORMATION TRAINING – Three U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 30 aircraft from the 80th Fighter Squadron fly in formation over South Korea during a training mission, Jan. 9, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Quinton T. Burris.

Image is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made during the course of the person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain.