"Alaska Airlines Student Pilot Attempts Mid-Flight Cockpit Entry, Complaint Alleges"

A student pilot, identified as Nathan Jones, attempted to open the cockpit door multiple times during an Alaska Airlines flight from California to Virginia, leading to his arrest and charges of interference with flight crew members. The flight attendants sought help from off-duty law enforcement officers to restrain Jones, who claimed he was "testing them." Upon landing, his luggage was found to contain notebooks detailing aircraft operation techniques. The incident is under investigation by the FAA, which has reported 320 unruly passenger incidents in 2024.