Passenger removed from flight to FLL had set timer to pray for Ramadan: Southwest Airlines

A Southwest Airlines flight that was heading to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday night was diverted to Georgia after what the company called a passenger “misunderstanding” over a phone timer for Ramadan prayer.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Southwest Airlines flight 2094 had left Nashville and was going to South Florida when it had to land at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport following a disturbance.

Video posted on Only In Dade shows several passengers putting their hands up and lowering their heads as law enforcement entered the plane and pulled out one passenger.

NBC News reported that the incident had to do with a passenger who had set a timer on his phone so that he could pray for Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar.

A spokesperson for the FBI in Atlanta said there was no credible threat and no charges will be filed.

Southwest Airlines later said in a statement: “The Southwest Airlines Crew of Flight 2094 on Friday made the decision to divert to Atlanta out of an abundance of caution due to what turned out to be a misunderstanding of a Customer’s behavior. We sincerely apologize to our Customers for the misunderstanding and the significant delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers.”