A Quebec man is facing several charges after an unruly passenger forced a Sunwing Airlines flight bound for Cuba to return to Montreal under a fighter jet escort.
Charalabos Nassios was arraigned by videoconference in a Montreal courtroom this afternoon on charges that included assault, uttering threats and committing an act of violence against a person that is likely to endanger the safety of an aircraft.
The Crown objected to his release and the 39-year-old is scheduled to appear in court Monday for a bail hearing.
Nassios lives in Laval, just north of Montreal.
An airline spokeswoman said flight WG604, which had departed for Cayo Coco on Thursday, turned around due to a passenger making threats.
NORAD spokesman Lt. Commander Joe Nawrocki said a pair of U.S. Air Force F-15 jets were dispatched from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts and intercepted the aircraft near Albany, N.Y.
Canadian CF-18s were also reportedly scrambled but did not take part in the operation.