Just read about the most recent occurrence of an airliner making an unscheduled stop because of an unruly passenger. This one was en route to the U.K. from Vancouver, but headed back to Halifax from somewhere over Newfoundland. A 51 year-old man was throwing water on passengers and crew, threatening the crew, and “acting strangely,” according to the CBC report. When the plane landed, the man was arrested and taken to hospital to be assessed.
That last detail, about hospital is important. When the plane was in the air, all that mattered was the safety of all on board and getting the man under control. Once safely on the ground, apart from the inconvenience to passengers (not to be minimized) and expense to the airline, there is a concern about this man, with whom everything obviously is not right. Literally bringing people down with him (from the sky) may, in addition, be a picture of what he is doing with people around him in his life, since it seems unlikely this episode just came out of the blue while in the blue. Of course he will have to face whatever legal ramifications await. And maybe that will be the beginning of a new part of his journey, for him and for all he knows.