Military jets escort LAX-to-JFK plane after disturbance

A disturbance on board a commercial flight from Los Angeles to New York prompted authorities to send two military jets to intercept the aircraft Sunday afternoon and shadow the American Airlines plane until it landed safely at John F. Kennedy International Airport, authorities said.

Two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to intercept the aircraft about 100 miles west of New York, and they followed the airliner until it landed safely at JFK at about 4 p.m., said John Cornelio, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command in an interview with The Times.

Though the details of the disturbance were unclear, three  passengers apparently locked themselves in a bathroom and were still inside when the plane landed. The disturbance does not appear to be terrorism related, the Associated Press reported.

“There was enough ambiguity in the situation to have us take a look,” Cornelio said.

ALSO:

Sept. 11, 2001: A nation remembers

9/11 anniversary messages to heaven: We miss your meatloaf

9/11 anniversary: Immigrant Marine hopes to return to combat

--Stephen Ceasar