Southwest jet returns to L.A. after passenger fight

LOS ANGELES - A Southwest Airlines jetliner on its way to San Francisco returned to Los Angeles International Airport shortly after takeoff because of a fight between two passengers, officials said.

FBI agents met the plane at the gate late Sunday and one person was removed from the Boeing 737, Southwest spokeswoman Melissa Ford told The Associated Press.

The pilot of Flight 2010 decided to return to LAX because of a "rapidly escalating" situation that culminated in a "physical altercation by one person against another," Ford said Monday. She did not elaborate but said the two passengers involved were not traveling together.

The passenger who was removed from the flight was detained for questioning. No arrest was immediately made but the investigation was still underway, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

"The allegations involved the reported assault of a fellow passenger," she said.

The flight left LAX around 9:50 p.m. and returned to the airport about an hour later, Ford said. The captain declared an emergency to receive priority for landing, she said.

The remaining 136 passengers switched planes and departed again for San Francisco International Airport around 12:20 a.m. Monday, Ford said.