Woman on Alaska Airlines flight allegedly assaults crew members, forces emergency landing in Boise

A passenger was arrested after allegedly assaulting two Alaska Airlines flight attendants, forcing the flight they were on to divert, according to the airline.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1057 was traveling from Portland to Dallas on Tuesday morning, the company said in a statement. After a “security incident” in which a passenger physically assaulted two attendants, the plane diverted to Boise, Idaho, it said.

The woman was identified in an arrest record as Tracy Barkhimer, 61, from White Salmon, Washington. Citing Boise police, CBS affiliate CBS2 reported that she began behaving erratically and allegedly struck two airline employees who were attempting to calm her down. She was restrained until the flight landed, police told the station.

Alaska Airlines said she was arrested after the plane landed in Idaho. Medics met with the flight crew and cleared them to fly. The aircraft continued on after a 90-minute delay, Alaska Airlines said. 

Barkhimer faces two counts of misdemeanor battery, according to online jail records. She posted a $600 cash bond on Tuesday, according to online court records, and her next court appearance is set for early November. Alaska Airlines said she had been banned from flying with them. 

“At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees,” the company said.

A Kansas man is facing federal charges after allegedly dragging an American Airlines flight attendant up the aisle of a plane traveling from Connecticut to Chicago in May. In March, the FBI arrested a Texas man who allegedly assaulted several passengers and verbally berated a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight traveling from Kansas to Washington, D.C.