Passenger charged in pre-flight cellphone dispute

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland authorities say a traveler who refused to turn off his cellphone and fought with flight attendants as a plane taxied for takeoff has been jailed and charged with aggravated disorderly conduct.

Federal regulations allow passengers to use cellphones in airplane mode or with cellular service disabled but not for voice communications.

The Northeast Ohio Media Group (http://bit.ly/1qxiaTS ) says Bowie, Maryland, resident Jay Peck was charged Friday. No attorney and no scheduled court appearance are listed for him.

Police say Peck argued with attendants and passengers on a Baltimore-bound Southwest Airlines flight from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport late Thursday. The captain returned to the gate, where police boarded the plane and arrested Peck.

A spokesman for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Inc. says the flight proceeded normally after Peck was removed.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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