CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A man accused of trying to push open a door mid-flight will serve more than a year in prison.
Mario Nikprelaj was aboard a SkyWest flight from Omaha to Detroit when it diverted to the Eastern Iowa Airport after a reported disturbance in July. Court records show he tried to fight flight crew members and passengers and tried to open the door to the plane.
Officials say he initially refused to put on his seatbelt, but a flight attendant convinced him to put it on and the plane took off. Once in the air, he removed the seat belt and made rude gestures when told to put it back on. He also poked the 80-year-old flight attendant in the chest before the crew member said they would report him to law enforcement. Then, court records say, he threatened to kill the flight attendant before appearing to fall asleep in his seat. Later, several passengers pressed their emergency call buttons when Nikprelaj appeared to try to open the door. The flight attendant tried to stop him, and he pushed them away. That’s when the captain made the decision to land the plane in Cedar Rapids…