roberino

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29845065

I am blown away by peoples' capacity to overreact to a joke. This was CLEARLY a joke. Even if someone did have a sample of ebola they would not put it in a cup that the FA had just given them and then write "Attention Ebola" on the top before giving it to their daughter. As for the judge's suggestion that it was equivalent to writing "bomb" on the cup? Sorry, not even close.

lloydah

Totally OTT. Notice the charity he was force to donate to.

wharvey

I am sorry... but I have no sympathy for people that pull these types of jokes....

abmj-jr

Agree with the above. Stupidity does not equal funny. No sympathy at all.

ajGoes

The Capuchin Friary? Among other things it "...distributes 1,200 food parcels every week and provides nearly 600 meals, six days a week." Sounds worthwhile enough.

Scots_Al

Before I read the article, I was all set to condemn the guy as a grade A idiot.

Having read the article, and his (very plausible) explanation of a private joke with his daughter, I do have some sympathy with him. That said, he was misguided, to say the least (before you even begin to think about the crass nature of the joke).

I think the judge probably found a sensible solution that reflected these circumstances (a charitable donation in lieu of criminal proceedings).

Another reminder to all that - rightly or wrongly - you have to be very careful what you do and say on planes and in airports these days.

Also, FWIW, I don't blame the EI crew - a bit like bar staff in a lot of America, their bosses have decided, it seems, that it is prudent to remove the 'risk' of them applying judgement / common sense / their own values to these situations.

Paul56

It seems clear...

- no joking of any kind in airports or aircraft

- no talking on the way to customs, some have microphones to
listen in on passengers on their way

- do not wearing clothing with controversial slogans or text

- be selective and discrete about what you are viewing on your
electronic device where others may overhear the audio or catch
a glimpse of the video

In other words, stay under the radar no matter how silly some
of this may seem.

roberino

Whose stupidity? I think it was massively stupid to think that this was anything other than a joke.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

There I fixed it for ya

Interesting in that he "pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on an aeroplane contrary to the Air Navigation and Transport Act."

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime...lane-1.1983405

Seems over the top. I wonder if he gets a tax deduction for his "donation?"

84fiero

I agree with this part, the fact that a private joke was made, which the cabin crew happened to have seen in the trash, is no reason for the over-reaction that occurred. It wasn't as if the man placed the cup somewhere intending for others to see (e.g., on the lav counter). 2,500 Euros seems pretty steep, much less that a prison sentence was being contemplated.

I can think of many things worse. Like the fact that the public has an unreasonable fear of Ebola in the first place.

roberino

Pleading guilty was the quickest way for him to get out of the country. If he had contested then he would have been unable to leave the country until after the trial. He would have ended up footing the bill for a trial and legal costs too, and based on the overreaction of the judge he would have been found guilty.

gfunkdave

The judge is an idiot, as are the plane crew who decided to make an issue of this.

Common sense ain't so common.

lloydah

^

tartempion

Indeed, don't.

My cabin trolly got stuck in a turn walking trough security at Suvarnabhumi airport whilst a female security agent was watching me.
I said in Thai : "my dog doesn't obey me"
She did not find that comment funny, no sense of humor.

Badenoch

It was a stupid thing to do considering the hysteria in developed countries about The Ebola!!!!. Airlines and government agencies don't have much of a sense of humour. Conduct yourself accordingly.