ATLANTA —

A flight from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport headed to Tampa was diverted to Atlanta Friday night after an incident onboard.

A Frontier Airlines representative confirmed to WLWT, flight 1761 was diverted to Atlanta after witnesses reported seeing one passenger with a box cutter.

No injuries to passengers or crew were reported.

The aircraft landed safely in Atlanta and the passenger in question was taken into custody by police officers, a Frontier spokesperson said.

The plane departed from CVG around 7:23 p.m. and landed in Atlanta just before 9 p.m., officials said.

Police have not released the suspect's identity at this time.

All passengers were taken off the aircraft and are being put in a hotel overnight. WLWT received images from the incident from a witness on the plane.

Passengers will be booked on a rescheduled flight for Saturday morning to transport them to their final destination of Tampa.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati firefighter stepped up on a flight out of CVG when another passenger was experiencing a medical emergency.

Part of the way through the flight from Cincinnati to Salt Lake City, passengers started to notice another passenger needed help.

“It was clear that there was someone in distress. The flight attendants were asking around if there was anyone who had medical help,” another passenger on the plane, Blake Taylor, said.

A few rows in front of Taylor, another passenger had already taken charge of the situation.

"Once the flight attendants started going through their motions and their protocols, they brought me a medical bag that had everything I needed, there was a nurse there that was helping out," Kenny Christo said.

He's a Cincinnati firefighter and EMT at Station 23 in East Walnut Hills.

Christo was able to assess the passenger, get an IV started and monitor her until the plane landed and local EMTs took over.

"It happened very calmly, very efficiently and really impressive," Taylor said.

Christo said by the time he got on his connecting flight out of Salt Lake City, the woman was conscious and talking.

This isn't the first time he's stepped in to help someone when he's off the clock.

"It's just what we do. Especially Cincinnati firefighters. We're always on the ready, we're always there to help out," Christo said.

He said most of the time, firefighters in a situation like this are happy to help. They do what they can to make sure the stranger in need is okay, then do exactly what Christo did: turn around and go about their day, not looking for any credit.

CINCINNATI —

The Bengals team flew a charter plane back to Cincinnati as fans headed toward the airport for their post-Super Bowl travel back home.

“We didn’t win, but at least it was a good game,” said Bengals fan Tricia Stuart as she arrived at CVG after being at the Super Bowl.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so, I’m just glad I got a chance to see it,” said Von Craddock, who was also at the game and arrived at CVG on Monday.

Mark Householder was also at the game. Even though the Bengals didn’t win, he said the trip was not a loss.

“It was absolutely worth it,” Householder said.

Many fans had traveled from out of state to be in Cincinnati to watch the game.

“I live in Durham, North Carolina. I’m born and raised in Cincinnati,” said Morgan Andres. “There were plenty of Super Bowl parties and plenty of bars in Durham, but it just wasn’t the same as being home.”

Some fans leaving CVG were not originally from Cincinnati, but are serious Bengals fans.

Jason Stewart took four planes and traveled thousands of miles from Canada. It would have been closer to go to Los Angeles.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if it was in my own backyard. I wouldn’t have gone to the Super Bowl. I just wanted to be here with the people,” Stewart said.

HEBRON, Ky. —

"I'm going to the bowl game!" exclaimed Kevin Tatum at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on Thursday.

"I got two boys at home, the grandparents are watching them. So go UC! Hopefully, my boys will cheer for them on Friday. And all I'm doing is waiting for my wife, so we can go through to the game," Tatum said.

"We have high hopes," said Monica Wenstrup, wife of Congressman Brad Wenstrup, who we saw at the airport on their way to the game.

Brad Wenstrup has been a long-time UC fan.

"I've been a season ticket holder since the late 80s," said Brad Wenstrup.

For him and his wife, Monica, it's been a thrilling season.

"We knew every game had to be won. So you just stayed on the edge of your seat all season long," said Brad Wenstrup.

Friday's bowl game is no different.

"We're the underdog. That's not a bad position to be in. We've got high hopes because this team has outperformed every time they've had to," Brad Wenstrup said.

Tatum said he and his wife, Molly, knew they'd be packing their bags once the game was announced.

"I was immediately searching for tickets, searching for flights. And I cannot wait," Tatum said. "I'm a huge UC fan. My wife graduated from there. I'm married into the UC family and I cannot be more excited for the team and the community."

UC students Ryan Sawyer and Claudia Wright said they're ecstatic Cincinnati's being put on a pedestal.

"Cincinnati, Ohio. No one thinks of Ohio whenever they think of football. So I think this is going to be cool especially with Ohio State and stuff. It's awesome that Cincinnati is getting some recognition," Wright said.

As for game predictions?

"UC by four," Tatum said.

"UC's gonna win. I think so," Wright said.

"UC's gonna win. What kind of question is that?! Come on!" Sawyer said.

And, of course, the politically correct prediction: "We got a great team with a lot of talents. And obviously Alabama does too. So I don't want to make any predictions," said Brad Wenstrup.

I guess we will all have to watch and see.

HEBRON, Ky. — The busiest travel day of the year in Cincinnati ended without major delays Thursday.

AAA predicted most people would be on the roadways between noon and 6 p.m. Lines were long at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport throughout the day.

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, many families haven't visited since the 2019 holiday season. AAA and the Transportation Safety Administration predicted overall travel to be 90% of pre-pandemic levels.

WCPO anchor Julie O'Neill flew Thursday and noted the airport was more crowded with longer check-in lines than she's seen in years.

Passengers at the airport were arriving early expecting long waits through security. O'Neill said despite the packed airport, people were moving through quickly.

AAA predicted 6 million people would travel the holiday season from Thursday to Monday, Jan. 3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend being fully vaccinated before flying and having a COVID test before.

Staff photo by Julie O'Neil

Barbara Nethers and her husband left their Tennessee home around 6 a.m. Thursday to make it to family in Ohio without hitting congestion. During that time, the Tri-State saw its largest backup on I-71 North near the Ridge Road exit just after noon.

"Take it easy," Nethers said. "A lot of trucks out there this morning, but they’re traveling well."

AAA said 4.4 million Ohioans are expected to travel the roadways this holiday, a 26% increase from 2020. The next busiest travel day will likely be the day after Christmas, when AAA suggests leaving before noon.

Road trips remain the top mode of travel during the holidays. Average gas prices are at $3.29 a gallon, which is the highest holiday price at the pump since 2008. The current average in Ohio and Indiana is just about $3. In Kentucky, prices are averaging around $2.95.

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COVINGTON, Ky. —

Road rage over a parking spot led to a woman shot in the chest on Sunday night, according to Covington police.

Investigators said the woman had serious injuries and was transported to UC Medical Center.

They also told WLWT she was not in critical condition when we asked for more information about how she was doing.

Meanwhile, a neighbor talked with us about what happened and shared surveillance video that captured the sound of the gunshots.

"It doesn't happen down here. It's pretty quiet down here for the most part but this is the most craziest that we've dealt with around here," neighbor Chad Wagner said.

In five years living in the neighborhood, Wagner said he has never heard anything like what his cameras captured.

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His security system recorded the sound of the gunshots echoing in the 2400 block of Herman Street.

Covington police said a woman was shot in the chest after an apparent road rage incident over a parking space.

"It's sad. Sad. People don't care. They just don't care. They think in the moment right then and there and then have to deal with the consequences later," Wagner said.

Wagner told WLWT he saw what he thought were the woman's loved ones rushing to the scene worried and upset.

He and other neighbors can't believe a scene like this unfolded here.

Covington police immediately had one suspect detained, according to an investigator.

Now, they're working to figure out what happened.

Investigators said they are interviewing several people at police headquarters.

Meanwhile, neighbors are feeling pretty shaken up.

"I'm ready to move. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I mean we've dealt with drugs and stuff, but this is, this is the straw that broke the camel's back for sure," Wagner said.

Covington police said they are still looking for at least one other suspect in this incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Covington Police Department at 859-292-2222.

HEBRON, Ky. — It isn't often that we hear of a company moving from Silicon Valley to Cincinnati. But, a year ago, a company called ThorDrive relocated to Over-the-Rhine and has spent that time quietly developing an autonomous vehicle program being tested at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.

“One of the reasons we found Ohio to be such a welcoming state is because of that interest in Ohio and the leadership of Ohio to get to the next economy, economy 2.0, which is going to be technology,” said Eddie Shelton, vice president of business development for ThorDrive.

The move to Cincinnati is a return for Shelton. He grew up on the west side of the city, but left for more than 20 years to attend college and launch his career. He was pleasantly surprised by the way the city has changed and become an inviting place for technology businesses.

The result has been a luggage tug that moves around outside of the airport as if it is actually transporting luggage from the terminal to a plane, without a driver.

“In order for the tractor to be able to see, it uses a combination of lidar and camera vision,” said Shelton. “What these are able to do is map the area around it. And then there’s also computing power that’s also on-board the tractor.”

The test vehicle is nicknamed "Valkyrie," which goes with the ThorDrive theme. Shelton admits it's a nod to the Marvel movies and comics. ThorDrive even has a lightning bolt as its logo.

Meanwhile, the vehicles know when to stop, when to go and when to turn. ThorDrive doesn't build the vehicle. It retrofits the software program to existing vehicles, which airport officials believe is the first time this technology has been applied this way in North America.

“It implies that the Midwest is very much on the forefront of technology,” said Brian Cobb, chief innovation officer at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Cobb said showing the technology can work for luggage will help make other uses, like passenger transportation, more acceptable.

“A unique opportunity like this to see a driver-less tug will certainly start imparting that knowledge on the traveling consumer to understand the technology that we’ve heard about for so many years is actually here today at CVG,” said Cobb.

“We intend to have this proof of concept developed to a sale-able product by the end of next year," said Shelton. "Then through several of our partners that we work with have identified over the next year what the next vehicles that we’ll make autonomous are.”

Shelton said the company is already finding interest in the concept at other airports. But, the concept can likely be adapted to a number of environments.

“It’s really not much of a stretch for this autonomous tractor to be pulling inventory in a distribution center, supplies in a manufacturing location, or even adding forks to it and having an autonomous forklift,” he said.

As far as the impact on workers, Shelton believes it will be an opportunity to train workers to learn to operate the technological aspects of autonomous vehicles. He also said ThorDrive is creating jobs in Cincinnati.

“We’re hiring as fast as we can. We currently have 11 people here in Cincinnati. And, our technical staff of about nine, we will see that double next year here in Cincinnati," said Shelton.

He also said safety is a priority. They've operated for more than 80,000 miles safely.

“Obviously, this environment is safety-critical. And that’s another reason why it plays so well into Thordrive is that we’ve done a lot of development. This technology has actually been incubated for over 15 years,” Shelton said.

HEBRON, Ky. — A worker was injured at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Friday afternoon, according to an airport spokesperson.

CVG first responders were called to the scene of an unspecified workplace injury, Communications Manager Mindy Kershner confirmed to WCPO.

The worker's current condition is unknown. Kershner could not confirm where at CVG the incident happened.

In February 2020, ironworker Loren Shoemake was killed in an accident at the construction site for Amazon's air hub at CVG.

HEBRON, Ky. — The Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport is holding a job fair Thursday in order to keep operations running smoothly at the airport.

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Positions with airlines, the TSA, DHL, Graeters Ice Cream and more will be featured at the fair. Part-time, full-time and temporary positions will be available.

"Anywhere from customer service and food and beverage retail, aircraft maintenance, air cargo positions, there’s even driving, operating equipment types of positions, airline support and that’s kind of what you’re getting there," Mindy Kershner, CVG's spokesperson, said. "We need those airline support jobs filled so we can keep this travel demand and passengers happy.”

Officials said if you are interested to bring your resume, expect to talk to employers about the role and be prepared to apply for positions.

The job fair runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the ValuPark Lot at 2462 Donaldson Hwy. in Hebron, Ky.

HEBRON, Ky. —

Now that more travelers are getting vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is altering its suggestions for flying a bit and it's bound to make things easier for travelers.

New guidelines are getting us closer to the old days. The CDC has updated its travel recommendations for vaccinated Americans saying that if you have your shots, the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 while traveling is low.

"A lot of people look to the CDC as the authority on the manner and a lot of the people turn to the WHO as well so that fact that the CDC had that to say about the vaccine and it being low-risk that makes people a lot more comfortable and it's a great step in the next direction," said traveler Casey Butler.

There are also more recommendations from the CDC. Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless the destination requires it and fully vaccinated people do not need to self-quarantine.

"I got first shot on Dec. 22, second dose Jan. 21 at the University of Cincinnati," Mya Sabai said.

Sabai says he hasn't stepped foot on a plane since before the pandemic began.

"I'm relieved that we can travel more safely and confidently," he said.

Others said they feel better about jetting off now than they did months ago.

"I'm comfortable right now traveling. I don't have any problem traveling anywhere in the world because of the vaccine, everyone's getting the vaccine," Akosua Yeboah said.