There’s footage going viral of an air marshal pulling a gun on passengers while standing in front of the cockpit, so I wanted to take a look at what we know about this incident.
In this post:
Security officer guards airplane cockpit with gun
While the incident allegedly took place several months back, footage is just now going viral of a Jordanian security officer pulling a gun on passengers in the galley in order to keep them away from the jet’s cockpit. In the video you can see the cockpit door open and close, and then passengers repeatedly try to come up to the cockpit to enter it, while the security officer keeps passengers away with his gun.
This video has caused all kinds of speculation, including that there may have been a hijacking, so let’s talk about what we really know.
What really happened with this incident?
This incident happened on Jordan Aviation, which is a private charter airline based in Amman. The airline operates worldwide charter services.
The above video was filmed several months back (but like I said, is only going viral now), and this happened on a charter flight from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria. This was allegedly an Umrah flight, which is a pilgrimage for religious passengers.
According to reports, the flight had to divert to a different airport in Nigeria, and the airline tried to offload passengers there. The travelers weren’t happy with the diversion point, and the carrier’s inability to get them to their final destination. Once the plane was on the ground, passengers wanted to speak to the captain.
However, Jordan’s laws prohibit passengers from entering the cockpit, and it’s standard for Jordanian airlines to have a security officer onboard. So when the passengers tried to enter the cockpit, the security officer tried to keep them away with a gun.
Looking at Jordan Aviation’s fleet plus the layout of the galley area on this plane, I assume that the plane in question was a ~34 year old Boeing 767-200ER with the registration code JY-JAL (which has quite a history).
The big question is why passengers tried to enter the cockpit. According to some reports, the flight was supposed to operate to Kano, Nigeria (KAN), but diverted to Yola, Nigeria (YOL), and passengers were told to disembark. For what it’s worth, the two airports are ~330 miles apart. There are conflicting stories as to why the diversion happened, though.
The only other comment from the airline is that there’s a threat to prosecute anyone who tries to harm the company’s reputation by fabricating rumors related to this incident.
Bottom line
A video is going viral of an air marshal pulling a gun on passengers. The incident happened on a Jordan Aviation Boeing 767 operating a charter flight from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria. After the plane landed, passengers wanted to speak with the captain, but Jordan’s laws don’t allow passengers to enter the cockpit.
What we don’t know is the backstory of what exactly happened that caused passengers to be so upset. It’s believed that the flight diverted and passengers were stranded, but who knows.
Regardless, in the age of reinforced cockpit doors, you’d think a cockpit wouldn’t have to be protected by someone pointing a gun at people, no?
What do you make of this incident?
Cockpit door opens to what looks like office building blinds. Looks totally fake
He should be prosecuted, there is no reason to pull a gun when there no threat, they should have stayed inside the cockpit.
Maybe you should read Jordanian law first before making such statements. He acted accordingly to the country regulations.
And then of course we have comments such as that from Jason asking if the Air Marshal can be charged criminally for brandishing his gun. News flash Jason that is what he is paid to do in these situations!
Eek? I'd say well done by the sky marshal!
Dont ever enter the cockpit without authorization. Ever. These fools dont seem to care about common sense or common decency. Lucky for them, the Marshall kept his cool and didntbresort to force.
I was really thinking we were going to see that idiot get natural selectioned. When dude has a gun, comply or die. What a waste of space.
I'm curious if there are any legal/jurisdictional implications here under Nigerian law. The plane was on the ground, not in the air, doesn't that bring it under Nigerian law and if so does this security guy have any jurisdiction at that point? If he does have jurisdiction as it is a Jordanian plane, I guess that's up to his bosses to decide whether his conduct was justified or not. But if he does not have...
I'm curious if there are any legal/jurisdictional implications here under Nigerian law. The plane was on the ground, not in the air, doesn't that bring it under Nigerian law and if so does this security guy have any jurisdiction at that point? If he does have jurisdiction as it is a Jordanian plane, I guess that's up to his bosses to decide whether his conduct was justified or not. But if he does not have jurisdiction and at the point he is on the ground he's only a foreigner in another country waving a gun around, wouldn't that be cause for potential criminal charges?
Doesn't matter what country they are in as the aircraft is considered sovereign Jordanian soil and Jordanian laws apply. Every aircraft is considered the sovereign soil of the country it is registered in. Same as an Embassy.
In America, our cabin crew pulls out an 'invisible' gun all the time.
Examples of people who got it
Drug junkie with a feather weapon.
The dress or outfit they are wearing.
Child who is on a different spectrum.
Adopted child who has a different skin color.
Dr. David Dao
etc.
Eek?
You sure that’s not an AA flight attendant?
Stuart, you win.
Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
Trying to enter a cockpit door is grounds for getting shot. Do that shit in the US and I bet they'll beat the living shit out of you. There's literally nothing to see here, just a man doing what he was paid to do.
Especially if one of the pilots is an FFDO. Enter without permission and there’s gonna be blood.
Glad it didn't end in the trigger being pulled like in Miami: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Rigoberto_Alpizar
Welcome to Lucky Air! If you form an angry mob on our airline, we’ll let you try and break down the cockpit door because it’s reinforced and we think guns are icky.
There are famously no other ways to resolve conflicts besides guns! You nailed this, no notes!
Without protection the single person could be easily overtaken (see 911). Once that happens, even with reinforced doors, the pilot's egress is blocked, which is a safety hazard to them (fire or medical emergency) and essentially kidnapping.
The guy is a professional, finger straight and off the trigger. Don’t start none, won’t be none. No passenger is going to persuade the pilot to takeoff again. Take your grievance up with the company.
Agree 100%. There’s not much that can hold back an emotional mob other than fear, especially in a closed environment. That officer was trained and had eyes on anyone approaching that zone.
Im sure the pilots covered the crew’s drinks that night.
Looks like a guy doing his job. Unruly loud passengers moving towards the cockpit? They're lucky he didn't shoot them.