In Japan, suspects are sometimes transported via Shinkansen.
2 summers ago there was a spate of arrests on landing at Stansted in the UK. It happened 3 times in a month on flights I was on. The plane would land and taxi as normal, but then the seatbelt light would stay on. An announcement would be made asking for a particular passenger to make their way to the front of the plane with their belongings. They would be taken off and after a few minutes we would be allowed off and we could see the passenger was now in a police car.
The frequency suggests it was some Police operation that was going on. The Police were checking the flight lists for anyone with outstanding warrants and then heading to where they knew they would be. I can’t decide if this is inspired, or just lazy!
I’m just hoping that these were people wanted for parking tickets and not murder or anything serious.
Thread title: ** Are dangerous criminals ever transported on commercial flights?**
So it looks like the overall answer to the question is yes, criminals or those suspected or people to be deported are routinely transported on commercial airlines, but the dangerous ones are transported on charters.
It all depends on what “dangerous” means to the OP or to anyone else.
We’re not going to be carrying the kinds of crazy bastards that are kept in solitary and often need a team of guards to subdue them when it’s time for their monthly haircut. Those people are dangerous everywhere all the time.
OTOH, plenty of transportees are armed robbers, drug dealers, serial assaulters, etc. IOW, they’d be dangerous to you if both of you were in their element. They’re mostly rendered safe by restraints and police guards. As long as nothing goes wrong and the bad guy doesn’t decide to cause trouble.
That may be more “dangerous” than the OP expects to share an airplane with.
Problems with prisoners are very, very rare. Problems with unescorted deportees are not commonplace, but neither are they rare.