Metro police said a traveler was jailed for violating airport rules
by: David Charns
Posted: Nov 23, 2021 / 3:41 PM PST
Updated: Nov. 23, 2021 / 4:07 pm PST
Katrina Alspaugh (KLAS)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Las Vegas Metro police arrested a woman at McCarran International Airport over the weekend after disrupting an airplane.
Las Vegas’ Katrina Alspaugh is charged with violating airport rules after the incident on Sunday, an arrest report said.
FILE – In this March 19, 2020, file photo of an airplane taking off from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. (AP Photo / John Locher, File)
Officials arrived at a gate in Terminal 1 after a woman called who refused to wear her mask on board an Allegiant Air flight, the report said.
The woman, who was later identified as Alspaugh, was involved in an earlier incident at the security checkpoint, police said. During that incident, Alspaugh allegedly tried to hit another passenger who pointed out Alspaugh was not wearing her mask, police said.
The other passenger refused to prosecute and Alspaugh boarded her flight.
When the officers arrived at the Allegiant flight gate, Alspaugh was standing on the jet bridge, they said. An airline representative had taken her off the flight and issued her a trespassing report from the company.
When Alspaugh was brought off the jet bridge in a wheelchair, she shouted profanity and “Let’s go Brandon,” according to police.
The police said this only made the disturbance worse and they arrested her.
The FAA says 37 “serious” cases of recalcitrant airline behavior are to be investigated by the FBI for possible prosecution
Alspaugh was sent to the Clark County Detention Center. Court records did not reveal any conditions for bail, despite the charge being a misdemeanor. Alspaugh was not listed in prison records on Tuesday.
Federal law requires that all passengers on public transportation, including air travel, wear a face mask within the United States, except when actively eating or drinking.
Since November last year, the FAA has reported nearly 4,000 troubled passenger incidents wearing face masks. Since January, the agency has reported 100 physical violence incidents.
