A flight attendant has been charged after admitting to setting a fire on board an American Airlines plane.

Johnathan Tafoya-Montano was working on a flight travelling from Dallas, Texas to Detroit in the US last month when he reported a fire in the rear toilet and then used a fire extinguisher to put it out.

He pretended that he had discovered the fire and told the other flight attendants about it.

The captain, already on approach into Detroit, was then notified and the control tower granted the flight emergency status, the FBI said.

The aircraft landed without incident and all passengers and flight crew safely disembarked.

The FBI said an investigation revealed Mr Tafoya-Montano had set the fire himself.

He was arrested and charged with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities and false statements or entries generally.

Mr Tafoya-Montano was released on bond at a detention hearing, with conditions including not being allowed to fly without the court's permission.