An American Airlines flight from Miami to Guyana turned back shortly after takeoff when a passenger reportedly threatened a flight attendant over a water request. Guyana's president was onboard.
Sounds like an over-reaction by the crew to return and mess up everyone’s plans to be honest. File a report about the incident, sure, but what’s the point in going back to Miami?
If the threat came from a head of state's entourage, and if the quote is accurate, the return to Miami was entirely appropriate. The airline would be in a world of trouble with Union and lawsuits if that FA was taken into custody upon arrival, even if released hours later.
It's useful for people who make threats like that to learn they're not all-powerful and to earn the ire of everyone on board. One possible outcome is that the President will sack the offender for conduct unbecoming. Such people typically travel on diplomatic passports and a standard of conduct is required internationally.
Indeed. The dignitaries would likely be in 1st class, whereas this person rushed the rear galley.
That passenger must be a Guyanese who thinks rhey can do anything and say anything to anybody without consequences which is what happens in guyana daily.
This passenger thinks just how he disobeys the laws in Guyana, he can do it anywhere and to anyone without consequences.
Even if he needed Water for a sick family member, he could have summoned the flight attendant to get it and they would oblige due to the circumstance, but this THICK SKULLED, IGNORANT, ARROGANT, DRAGGED UP PASSENGER THOUGHT HE CAN HAVE HIS WAY THE MANNER HE IS ACCUSTOMED TO IN GUYANA.
I AM GLAD THE GUYANA PRESIDENT WAS ON BOARD AND WITNESSED THE DISGRACEFUL, DISRESPECTFUL ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR OF GUYANAESE EVERYWHERE THEY GO
Plus , he uttered a threat to the flight attendant and thats a criminal offence.
That is why they ought to buy a ticket on Guyana Bus Lines .
This is more a funny coincidence than anything else, but the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, now asks Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to supply US cabin crews as front line troops for Guyana after this incident.
He claims, their masterclass in shoot first and never deescalate would be the number one reason that they will make a wonderful ruthless juggernaut. They seek war even when adversaries are just seeking water.
He even suggest they will lead the main military strike force. He added, he doesn't even need a general anymore. The union leaders are even more effective with proven track records.
Every time they go on strike, they get what they want.
His title is Secretary of Defense.
Actually, jsvtex is correct. Hegseth was nominated and confirmed by the Senate as the Secretary of Defense, and the department remains legally established as the Department of Defense under federal law. Only Congress can change the agency name and Hegseth's title.
Trump and Kegseth calling it the "Department of War" is just them spending $125 million+ in taxpayer money on new signs and letterhead just to feel like real "alphas."
and real alphas are now in charge. Ask Maduro if you think otherwise. If your comrades were in power that genocide would be still in charge.
Completely agree. Ben, I love your blog and have been reading for years (and will keep on reading), but I’m surprised you play into this kind of ‘Secretary of War’ nonsense.
FAs are the new cops:
- Always escalating
- power-tripping
- more concerned with egos and “that’s not my job” than common sense.
It’s really bad.
I know there’s been more *reports* on unruly passenger behavior lately, but I’ve flown roughly once a week this year and it seems pretty normal passenger-wise.
Entourages or 'personal-assistants' are the most wankpuff passengers , as you can see for yourself , although you may not travel with entourages or 'personal-assistants' .
As a pilot instructor for a major airline, I see this as a threat...plain and simple. "Deescalate" skills notwithstanding, an "I'll deal with you later..." is something that I wouldn't want to cross the ocean with on such a long flight. One never knows if this goombah decides to seek revenge right now. Toss the guy off and, as another comment said, to let them take the "Guyana Bus Lines" back home
Secretary of Defense...
Spoiled AA crew behaving like divas again. De-escalate and bring the panicking relative some water instead of escalating everything.
If I were on that flight, I would have immediately recognized trash talk. The passenger didn’t threaten the safety of the flight, but this is an example of careless talk which should have been avoided. The Marshall, I am assuming every flight has at least one, could have been placed close to the passenger to ensure plane safety.
@Barry, good point about the Marshall...I don't think they are on every flight (like in the past)?
You seem to be accustomed to trash talk in guyana which is a way of life there and some of it do end up in serious situations, but in guyana, the authorities dont pay heed to anything. They are only interested in bribery and corruption. You fail to realize its,a plane.....confined space with a moron threatening a flight attendant
Any threat on a commercial aircraft must be dealt with as if it's a threat to the entire aircraft and the cabin crew MUST look after the safety of aircraft and passengers. No 'buts' about this.
As the wife of a retired commercial airline pilot I commend the pilot for not risking the safety of passengers and crew. The adage " better safe than sorry" comes to.mind.
This could only happen on an US Airline.
.. maybe @CapitalMike does travel enough, to see the VERY BIG difference of any flight crew in the US and elsewhere in the world!
I agree with him, sounds like 100% US Airline crew! can't help it, i've seen in several times myself and always stunned on how angry a person has to be, to take EVERYTHING the danger or threat way, even if it is just a verbal misuse of words often times.
No wonder, many don't even take flight crew serious anymore these days as they are just FAR from being professional, but rather like to play with their smartphones or nap at there jumpiest during takeoff or landing phase.
90% totally misunderstand their job, just watch when you board a flight in the US next time. Do you get greeted and get ANY eye contact ever?
THIS is the first moment, to see the REAL character of a person, you never met before.
NOT about some crazy words some passenger (maybe even from a foreign country?! with little english skills) puts in a FA's face. Do we all know if that passenger might have been under drugs, alcohol, medication?????
See, that loo, in the eyes of a passenger at boarding (especially at AA or UA in the US) could have helped a bit to act in a different way and had a different outcome?!
The statement from the sheriff's office, if quoted correctly, is moronic. "Assault" is a threat of harm, doesn't require physical contact. When you are flying to a banana republic and someone on the plane threatens to "deal with you" after landing, you have to take it seriously, especially if that someone is one of the president's minions.
And @lucky, please don't parrot the MAGA nonsense. As others pointed out, the correct title is Secretary of Defense. What's next, reviews of new resorts in the Gulf of America? Flight reports from YTZ commenting on beautiful views over Lake America?
It is not respectful to call Guyana a "banana republic", particularly if one has never been to that country. In which country does SBS Diamond live?
Everyone knows not to get up during ascent. If you know water helps your flight anxiety keep it on you. I would imagine the passenger is well versed in hacking people to death with a machete, which is what his threat implies. As much as i would be pissed by the delay I would not want to be trapped on a over atlantic plane with some violent lunatic from Guyana.
Though i am an ex airline official, i will not support the flight attendant of AA. the passenger got up and requested for water
for the emergent condition of his relative, the FA should have
immediately acceded to his request and complied with
FA need not make a big issue out of this matter. moreover
he should not have misreported the facts to the Captain and
police instigating them to file a case against. passenger
did not attack FA at all why he was telling lie to law enforcement
officials. i am very glad that the cabin crew was completely
changed and a new set of cabin crew was rostered for
the outbound journey. if i were the crew scheduling manager
for cabin crew, i will blacklist that particular FA on this route
and put him on another route which may not be his choice
to teach a lesson to him and i would recommend to t he
management to send him for "anger management" course
for a month or so.
Assault does not require physical contact. That's battery. It can be a threat, but it must be of immediate or imminent harm, otherwise threatening is a separate offense. So, how imminent was this? Did the sheriff's office just go home after telling the crew, "we don't prosecute threats, this is Florida" ? And if the F/A knew that government officials were on board, was it reasonable to prefer dealing with the problem on US soil, rather than Guyanese?
Under federal law, 49 U.S. Code § 46504, you can get 20 years for "intimidation." "An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both."
You be the judge.
Agree that any threat should be taken seriously because it is not known how serious it may be. You comment that it is "funny" that the President was on board and I don't think it is funny at all. It is just a coincidence. Many smaller country leaders fly commerical.
This story made me laugh.....only because I can imagine he said it in a Guyanese accent and probably added a few "mudda skunts" in there, IYKYK!..... I am ROTFL!