Says The As-Yet-Unnamed Pilot Has Been A 'Consummate Professional'

The CEO of JetBlue appeared on the NBC Today Show Wednesday morning to discuss an incident which occurred Tuesday aboard one of the carriers' flights from New York to Las Vegas. In the interview, CNN reports that David Barger said the pilot suffered from a "medical situation," and that he has known the pilot for "a long time." He said the pilot has always been a "consummate professional." The flight diverted to Amarillo, TX, where it landed safely.

Barger said that a medical situation became a security situation, and that the pilot had to be subdued and restrained. He is currently receiving medical care while in FBI custody.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas said no charges have been filed against the pilot, whom federal law enforcement agencies have identified as Clayton Osbon. FBI spokeswoman Lydia Maese said that the incident is under investigation. "We coordinated with the FAA, TSA, Amarillo Police Department, and the airport police," she said.

FMI: www.justice.gov/usao/txn