Via USA Today:
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – A first-class passenger became so disruptive after drinking five glasses of wine that a flight from New York to Shanghai had to be diverted to Anchorage, according to charging documents.
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Charging documents, which include information from FBI agents’ interviews with crew and other passengers, say Auerbach, 47, drank five glasses of wine within the first 90 minutes of the 7,100 mile trip from Detroit to Shanghai. The documents say she began walking up and down the aisle, yelling profanities and climbing on seats. Passengers told the FBI she also sneaked drinks out of the galley when the crew wasn’t watching.
A flight attendant asked her to return to her seat, A1, five times and she declined, the charging documents say.
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Auerbach was issued a written notice notifying her that she had refused an order from the flight crew regarding safety. The documents say she then hit the attendant with the notice, approached the flight attendant and demanded off the flight.
And the worst part?
Two children traveling with Auerbach were allowed to continue to Shanghai on the condition their father would pick them up at the airport.
Definitely one of the more painful articles I’ve had to read, not just in terms of the ridiculousness of the story, but “first class on Delta,” seat “A1,” and “a flight from New York to Shanghai” (when it was really from Detroit).
Some people…
Laughing hysterically about your concerns of the reporting- I love your snobbery!
OOOHHH! and lets just ban all the kids form premium cabins to make them Zen garden...LOL
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still laughing hard
Why all this reporter bashing? First of all, Delta flight 181 does indeed appear in the schedule as LGA--DTW--PVG, and the article explicitly says that the flight "was en route from New York to China via Detroit"; they just didn't pick up on the change of gauge (the first segment is operated by an A320). As for first class and seat A1, the newspaper cites the charging documents. I find it very plausible that this...
Why all this reporter bashing? First of all, Delta flight 181 does indeed appear in the schedule as LGA--DTW--PVG, and the article explicitly says that the flight "was en route from New York to China via Detroit"; they just didn't pick up on the change of gauge (the first segment is operated by an A320). As for first class and seat A1, the newspaper cites the charging documents. I find it very plausible that this is an exact quotation from the charging docs, so really instead of making fun of the reporters, you guys should be talking about the FBI.
This is hilarious. Seems on par for Delta, Detroit, and USA Today.
If anything, USA Today might be most worthy of criticism. Even setting aside the "typo" regarding New York and Detroit, and ignoring the fact that it would take such minimal effort to discover (or know, even) that DL has no F, who the hell has even heard of A1 as seat assignment? Good old American reporting!
Why so much Delta bashing???? I'm a diamond and I find them very good for domestic flights.
@Gene- I hate to break this to you...but Delta IS a bad airline. Most of America thinks so.... http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/08/23/the-ten-least-respected-companies-in-america/
@GetToThePoints - Glad you liked my comment!!! Enjoy flying Delta :)
@Gene - As you said DL may be the best DOMESTIC airline. However, I would not fly Delta internationally (in business class like this lady did) if I can fly Singapore, Cathay, BA, Air France, Lufthansa, etc... If I am paying almost $10K to fly business I want to make my money worth. Last time I flew DL internationally on business class the flight attendant was giving out bottles of mineral water and she had...
@Gene - As you said DL may be the best DOMESTIC airline. However, I would not fly Delta internationally (in business class like this lady did) if I can fly Singapore, Cathay, BA, Air France, Lufthansa, etc... If I am paying almost $10K to fly business I want to make my money worth. Last time I flew DL internationally on business class the flight attendant was giving out bottles of mineral water and she had a mix of Dasani and Evian. When I requested an Evian bottle she looked at me and said:"Water is all the same." Well, that says a lot about the airline in my opinion.
I guess with the recent devaluation of SkyPeso's, my guess it is bad enuff to turn anyone into a raging alcoholic
Sounds like a slow news day and no one proofread that article. Pretty poor journalism if you ask me.
Only five glasses, what a lightweight.
Wow! These drunk person diversions are out of control! According to the article the passenger on a Detroit to Shanghai flight caused the diversion of the New York to Shanghai flight. Did they radio the other flight? :D
Hey Lucky, any trip reports coming up soon?
Does anyone know if the airlines try to recover damages from these passengers for the cost of diverting a flight? I would imagine it probably costs the airline tens of thousands of dollars at least. Are they ever successful in getting compensated?
@Santastico -- Delta is not a bad airline (in fact, I would argue that DL is the best domestic airline), they just have a mileage currency that is less valuable that other airlines. I get so tired of the Delta bashing...
Only a select few get to sit in A1 on the nonstop NYC(La Guardia?)to Shanghai. :)
Santastico - nice addition to the topic, very helpful
Maybe they got confused and said A1 because she was sauced. :)
What would you expected when the article involves USA Today and Delta? Bad newspaper + Bad airline = Bad article
Hey, A1 is my favorite seat in Delta international first class because it gives you easy access to the wine. :)