Actress Selma Blair was arrested after an incident on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York on Sunday night, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Blair allegedly tried to open the plane's door during the flight, then hit one flight attendant and bit another, according to reports citing the Port Authority and TMZ. Port Authority police were called to the plane around 11 p.m. after it landed and took Blair into custody. She was then taken to a hospital for evaluation. One flight attendant was also taken to a hospital.
The FBI, which handles alleged assaults on board aircraft, is investigating. It isn't yet clear whether Blair will face charges. Delta hadn't commented publicly as of Monday afternoon.
Selma Blair · Delta
What We Know So Far
Contrail
What Her Team Says
A representative for Blair said she "experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct," adding that "upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition." Her team hasn't said what the emergency was.
It's not the first time Blair has been involved in an incident on a plane. In 2016, she was carried off a Delta flight on a stretcher after an outburst, which she later said happened after she mixed alcohol with medication. She apologized at the time.
Could She Have Opened the Door?
No. At cruising altitude, the air pressure inside a plane's cabin is much higher than the pressure outside, and that difference presses the doors firmly into their frames. Most passenger jet doors are designed to open inward first before swinging out, so during flight there's effectively tons of force holding them shut. No passenger, however determined, can pull one open in the air.
That doesn't make trying any less serious. Tampering with an aircraft door frightens other passengers and forces crew to step in, and it's one of the behaviors airlines and the FAA treat most harshly.
What Happens Next
Under federal law, interfering with a flight crew can bring up to 20 years in prison, and assaulting or intimidating crew members falls into that category. The FAA can also fine unruly passengers tens of thousands of dollars per violation, separate from any criminal case. Airlines, Delta included, can ban passengers from future flights.
Whether any of that applies here will depend on the FBI's investigation and on what Blair's team shares about the medical emergency. Contrail will update this story as more details are confirmed.
