Investigators try to figure out why man disruptive on flight

Authorities say that moments later, the man — identified as Anil Uskanli, 25, of Turkey — had created so many problems on American Airlines Flight 31 on Friday from Los Angeles to Honolulu that he had to be immobilized with duct tape in a seat until the plane landed in Honolulu.

At that point, a flight attendant ran down the aisle with her serving cart and blocked the entrance to first class, said passenger Lee Lorenzen, of Orange County, California.

Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, on Saturday said attendants who represent the last line of air travel defense managed to "defuse a high-risk situation"

Passengers among the 181 flying on Flight 31 staffed with six crew members took notice of Uskanli before the jet took off from Los Angeles.

Before he boarded the flight to Hawaii, Uskanli was also arrested at Los Angeles International airport for opening a door that led onto an airfield ramp, according to Los Angeles Airport police.

Though airport police smelled alcohol on Uskanli's breath he was not intoxicated enough to be held for public drunkenness, so they cited and released him.