Rageh al-Murisi made his first court appearance Tuesday since the incident Sunday night.
Prosecutors told the judge that al-Murisi repeatedly yelled "Allah Akbar," which is Arabic for "God is great," as he ran toward the cockpit.
Al-Murisi is in the United States legally but holds a passport from Yemen.
Flight attendants, two retired law enforcement officials and an off-duty pilot helped subdue him.
Al-Murisi is charged with interfering with a flight crew.
