Passenger Goes Beserk Midflight

Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by LynThomas in Travel

With the latest rash of passenger related airline incidents and tighter and tighter pre-flight security measures, “People are becoming alert and displaying a more assertive spirit of self-defense while on board airplanes,” said Casey Coleman, General Services Administration’s chief information officer.

Coleman was aboard United Airlines Flight 223 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Las Vegas when a passenger attempted to open a front exit hatch on the airplane during the flight, after having unsuccessfully tried to gain access to the cockpit.

According to the New York Daily News a number of other passengers forced the man into a seat. The plane made an emergency landing in Denver, where authorities were waiting to take him into custody.

surfboard

In the South Pacific, an international consultant is calling on Solomon Airlines to investigate an incident on a domestic flight, which he described could have had fatal results.

The consultant was on board flight IE 372 from Buala via Suavanau to Honiara. Onboard was a very sick patent, attached to a drip.

When the aircraft reached Suavanau some tourists were booked to join the flight, but demanded that their large surfboards be carried into the cabin.

“I observed the pilot make contact with someone, before finally giving permission for the surfboards to be loaded in the cabin,” said the consultant.

The pilot asked everyone to make room for the surf boards and suggested some passengers wait for the next day’s flight.

“We had nowhere to stay and we had paid our airfares so we decided to squeeze in with the surf boards,” the consultant reported.

The sick patient on the drip was moved to the rear of the aircraft. The aircrew then lowered all the seats on the left of the aircraft, in order to stack the six large surfboards. This not only shut off all the windows from the left side of the aircraft, it also closed off the emergency exit, as well as the aisle.

“We had to support the boards with our arms during the long flight to avoid the boards from moving or falling onto us.” The consultant firmly believes passengers lives were put at risk by the ill-formed decision of the two pilots.

“We were all trapped inside the aircraft, which didn’t seem to concern the pilots. Plus the flight was delayed by 30 minutes, giving no care of concern towards the sick patient, who obviously required urgent medical attention.”

“When we landed at Honiara the surf boards were removed before the sick patient, who should have been given priority disembarkation.”

Solomon Airlines refused to be interviewed over the matter.

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