Man Locks Himself In American Air Cockpit “Virtually Impregnable”

A man rushed past gate attendants and locked himself inside the cockpit of an American Eagle plane in Baton Rouge, La.1×1.

The man has since surrendered to authorities and is in custody.

Andrew Alessi, apparently upset over a personal situation, could be charged with interfering with a flight crew, according to a federal law enforcement source.

American Eagle Airlines is a regional partner of American Airlines.

The aircraft was in the process of a turnaround, from Dallas, when the man got on the plane.

“It had been cleared of passengers,” airline personal said at a news briefing. “No passengers were ever in danger and they were in the process of clearing the plane and doing their final security walk-through. And what apparently happened, the gentleman in question pushed past the gate agent who was at the gate and ran down the jet bridge.”

Reports say an American Airlines employee “challenged” Alessi at the entrance of the plane, but Alessi got past him and locked himself in the cockpit. The cockpit is “virtually impregnable” once it is locked from the inside.

Alessi had no weapons and did not know how to fly a plane, according to a airport spokesman.

Source ABC News.