Armed US sky marshalls diverted a flight and arrested a passenger after he left his seat and walked towards the toilet.
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FBI officials say Mr Raho Ortiz ignored new rules for passengers to stay seated during the last half hour of flights.
Mr Ortiz claims he was trying to get to a toilet at the front of the Pittsburgh to Washington US Airways plane.
As marshalls handcuffed the 33-year-old, all 106 passengers were told to put their hands behind their heads.
The aircraft was diverted to Dulles International Airport, where Mr Ortiz was arrested for interfering with a flight crew. The charges were later dropped.
A US Airways spokesman said the flight was 15 minutes from Reagan National Airport when Mr Ortiz started walking briskly towards the front of the plane.
One passenger, Mr Mike Cannon, said Mr Ortiz didn't put up a struggle as marshalls ordered him to the ground. "He kept saying, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just wanted to go to the bathroom'".
AP