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This United flight was delayed because some guy wanted crackers

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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June 25, 2015, 3:03 PM ET
United Airlines Reports Quarterly Profit Of 140 Million
United Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at San Francisco International Airport on January 23, 2014 in San Francisco, California.Justin Sullivan — Getty Images

A United Airlines flight from Rome to Chicago was forced to land Saturday because an unruly passenger demanded crackers.

Flight 971 landed in Belfast as a result of the passenger, who was considered a “potential security risk,” United told Business Insider. The emergency landing could cost the airline $550,000 because of spent fuel and passenger accommodations, according to the Telegraph.

The passenger, a 42-year-old male, demanded food just minutes after the flight took off, the Telegraph reports, refusing to sit down as instructed by the flight’s crew. While the crew did ultimately give him crackers to eat, he demanded still more food.

The flyer in question has since been charged with endangering the safety of the aircraft, among other charges.

The other passengers aboard the flight were forced to stay in Belfast overnight.

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
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Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

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