Passengers who had mid-air brawl over 'knee defender' device that stopped seat reclining are arrested after emergency landing

 A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after two passengers fought over a device that stopped a seat reclining.

One woman passenger on the flight threw water at a man seated behind her who used the $21.95 Knee Defender device to stop her reclining her seat on the four-hour flight from Newark to Denver.

The pilot made an emergency landing in Chicago on Sunday where the two passengers, both 48, were arrested. Continue....



The Federal Aviation Administration leaves it up to individual airlines to set rules about the controversial devices.

Controversial: The Knee Defender consists of two plastic locks that are clipped onto the arms of a tray table (pictured) that prevents the person in front from reclining. The gadget caused a flight on a United Airlines flight this week

Locked and loaded: Most airlines prohibit the use the of the Knee Defender, the male passenger allegedly used one so he could continue working on his laptop

 Tiny: The Knee Defender, which is about the size of a house key, retails for about $19.95, but is banned by all major American airlines

United Airlines said it prohibits use of the device, like all major U.S. airlines. Spirit Airlines and
Allegiant Air take the reclining mechanisms out of their seats, leaving them permanently upright.
The dispute on United Flight 1462 from Newark, New Jersey to Denver escalated to the point where the airline decided to divert to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, according to Transportation Security Administration spokesman Ross Feinstein.

Chicago Police and TSA officers met the flight, spoke to the passengers and 'deemed it a customer service issue', Feinstein said.

 The TSA would not name the passengers.

The plane then continued to Denver without them, arriving 1 hour and 38 minutes late, according to the airline's website.

The Federal Aviation Administration can impose a civil fine of up to $25,000 for passengers who are unruly. In this case, no arrest was made, according to airport spokesman Gregg Cunningham.

The fight started when the male passenger, seated in a middle seat of row 12, used the Knee Defender to stop the woman in front of him from reclining while he was on his laptop, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak.

A flight attendant asked him to remove the device and he refused.

The woman then stood up, turned around and threw a cup of water at him, the official says.
That's when United decided to land in Chicago.

The two passengers were not allowed to continue to Denver.

Both passengers were sitting in United's Economy Plus section, the part of the plane that has four more inches of legroom than the rest of coach.

Source Dailymail