The US Airways Flight 3801 was flying from Portland, Maine, to Philadelphia when the incident occurred.
The US Airways Flight 3801 was flying from Portland, Maine, to Philadelphia when the incident occurred.
AFP/Getty Images/FILE

Story highlights

Police board the plane in Boston and take the unruly passenger into custody

The commercial jet was flying to Philadelphia when the incident occurred

Airline spokeswoman: The passenger seemed "disoriented"

Passengers restrained him, according to an airport authority spokesman

CNN  — 

Authorities detained a man who tried to open the door of a commercial jet midair on Thursday, officials said.

US Airways Flight 3801 made an unscheduled landing at Boston’s Logan Airport, where Massachusetts State Police boarded the plane and took the unruly passenger into custody, State Trooper Thomas Murphy said.

The flight, operated by Air Wisconsin, was flying from Portland, Maine, to Philadelphia when the incident occurred. There were 50 passengers and three crew members onboard, the airline said.

The passenger “seemed to be disoriented” when he tried to open a cabin door on the CRJ-200 aircraft, Air Wisconsin spokeswoman Annette Daly said in a statement.

Daly said a flight attendant subdued the passenger, but Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for Massport, said other passengers restrained him.

Opening the doors of most commercial jets while in flight is nearly impossible due to the air pressure and design of the doors.

CNN’s Rob Frehse contributed to this report.