Man arrested after he jumps ticket counter

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A man was arrested for jumping a ticket counter and trying to bypass security at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, authorities said Sunday.

The security breach caused the airport to ground all flights for 90 minutes and rescreen between 800 and 1,000 passengers, airport spokesman C. Douglas Hartmayer said. It was unknown how many flights were delayed.

Phillip Ciccone, 28, of Amherst, approached the Continental Airlines counter at 8:30 a.m. with an expired ticket and told the agent he wanted to go to Tampa, Fla., Hartmayer said.

Ciccone then jumped the counter and ran down the corridor before being tackled by two police officers working at a security checkpoint.

Ciccone told WKBW-TV he was high on the drug ecstasy when he approached the counter.

He was charged with criminal impersonation, disorderly conduct, harassment, resisting arrest and criminal trespass and was being held without bail Sunday night.