Flight diverted after threat by passenger

A Delta airliner bound for California was diverted to Louisiana with an escort of two fighter planes after a passenger passed a threatening note to a flight attendant, the FBI said today.

Flight 357, with 148 people aboard from Atlanta to Los Angeles, landed safely at Shreveport yesterday. Edward Stephenson, 36, was arrested and charged with interfering with a flight crew member and attendants, FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne said.

She refused to provide details of the note, but said it was deemed to be threatening.

Stephenson appeared disoriented when he was taken off the plane, police said. Thorne said prosecutors planned to seek a psychiatric examination on the suspect.

Delta spokeswoman Cindi Kurczewski said there were 139 passengers and nine crew members aboard the plane. She said the plane was diverted ‘‘due to a passenger incident’’, but referred questions to authorities. It was unclear from where the two F15 fighter planes took off.

The flight continued on to Los Angeles less than two hours after landing.

On Monday, two F16s were sent to escort an American Airlines jet to Chicago after a deranged man burst into the cockpit. Passengers tackled him, and the flight landed without incident.

One day later, a passenger on the same American flight from Los Angeles became intoxicated and unruly, striking a flight attendant. The FBI said the 31-year-old Australian was forced into his seat and several passengers helped guard him until the plane landed in Chicago.