Flight in CLT quarantined
Mar 24, 2007, 6:01 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampa, FL
Programs: DL PM, AA Plat, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, SPG Platinum, National Emerald Exec
Posts: 564
People who can't manage their drinking and do stupid sh*t that affects other people should be held accountable. Unless another party was pouring the booze down this idiot's throat...IT IS HIS FAULT!! For those blaming anyone else but the idiot...Seriously, cut everybody a break on this board with the BS!!
Mar 24, 2007, 6:11 pm
#32
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO/OAK ex DCA ex ALB
Posts: 625
A few months ago my GF and I were upgraded on a PVD-DCA flight. Thanks to our pre-flight drinks and a couple of in-flight refills, we realized that between the two of us, we'd been given 9 mini bottles for a roughly 1 hour flight. We didn't drink all of them, but that's exactly the type of situation that could very easily lead to someone getting drunk enough to do something like this idiot did--all you'd need is a generous FA, or a companion to feed you some of his/her supply on top of what you could get for yourself.
Mar 25, 2007, 1:12 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
Posts: 317
I don't remember what services were inside security at MSY, but it's highly possible that the guy could have walked on to the plane with an alcoholic beverage in hand (frozen daquiris fit nicely into a styrofoam cup).
Nowadays, I usually board with my own beverage (coffee, diet Coke, or water) because if I'm not in F, it'll be at least a half an hour before I could even consider getting a beverage. Some of the prescription drugs that I take make me constantly thirsty.
Nowadays, I usually board with my own beverage (coffee, diet Coke, or water) because if I'm not in F, it'll be at least a half an hour before I could even consider getting a beverage. Some of the prescription drugs that I take make me constantly thirsty.
Mar 26, 2007, 7:13 am
#34
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: US Plat, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 793
I was connecting through CLT last Friday during this mess. There were ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, all over the place. At least new 2 helicopters over CLT. The "C" concourse was a mad house trying to get from one end to the main terminal.
Mar 26, 2007, 7:19 am
#35
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MKE
Programs: AA Exec Platinum, SPG Platinum / Ambassador / Lifetime Gold, Avis FIRST
Posts: 3,293
This is not US' fault. This is a drunk idiot's fault.
I'm all for drinking and relaxing with some cocktails on a flight - even a short one - but if you tend to do stupid things when drunk (like claim you've infected 100+ people with a previously eradicated deadly disease), you might want to limit the alcohol intake to your own home.
I'm all for drinking and relaxing with some cocktails on a flight - even a short one - but if you tend to do stupid things when drunk (like claim you've infected 100+ people with a previously eradicated deadly disease), you might want to limit the alcohol intake to your own home.
Mar 26, 2007, 10:21 am
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Taking his "threat" seriously merely told every drunk, wannabe terrorist and nutcase out there what they need to do in order to disrupt normal life in our country.
Our nation's collective insanity intensifies.
Mar 26, 2007, 10:26 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: CLT
Programs: Choice Hotels/FFOCUS
Posts: 7,256
Local news just said this guy is undergoing a psyc exam today. No kidding.
Mar 26, 2007, 11:30 am
#38
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ALB
Programs: US Platinum, SPG Gold, Marriot Gold
Posts: 104
I disagree. He was as likely to have exposed everyone to smallpox as he was to be an actual extra-terrestrial from another galaxy or to have possessed an actual nuclear warhead in his carryon. And everyone who thinks about it knows it (or should).
Taking his "threat" seriously merely told every drunk, wannabe terrorist and nutcase out there what they need to do in order to disrupt normal life in our country.
Our nation's collective insanity intensifies.
Taking his "threat" seriously merely told every drunk, wannabe terrorist and nutcase out there what they need to do in order to disrupt normal life in our country.
Our nation's collective insanity intensifies.
On the other hand, a real terrorist isn't going to stand up and announce that he's just infected everyone before they get off the plane and have a chance to infect people around them, but given the situation I think they made the only decision they could.
Last edited by BrettS; Mar 26, 2007 at 11:58 am
Mar 26, 2007, 12:58 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2005
Location: various cities in the USofA: NYC, BWI, IAH, ORD, CVG, NYC
Programs: Former UA 1K, National Exec. Elite
Posts: 5,485
Oh, I disagree. While it's highly unlikely that he really was infected at least everything was contained at that point. It may have (seriously) impacted a few hundred people for a few hours while they waited for the tests to run, but if there really was a threat then allowing those people out could have caused thousands of infections and a serious public image problem for whoever made that decision.
Mar 26, 2007, 1:29 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampa, FL
Programs: DL PM, AA Plat, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, SPG Platinum, National Emerald Exec
Posts: 564
Mar 26, 2007, 9:35 pm
#41
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: CLT
Programs: Choice Hotels/FFOCUS
Posts: 7,256
Now I just hear on the local news tonight that the FBI is done with him. So I'm guessing no charges.
Mar 28, 2007, 9:25 am
#42
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: US Chairmans, Air Tran Elite, NWA Silver, HH Diamond, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver, IHG Gold
Posts: 394
Mar 28, 2007, 9:26 am
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: US Chairmans, Air Tran Elite, NWA Silver, HH Diamond, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver, IHG Gold
Posts: 394
Its better to be safe than sorry. Somebody makes a threat and that threat has to acted on. Who would have known at the time that this guy did not have smallpox??? Its scary that there are people out there that think threats/stunts like this guy pulled shouldnt have been dealt with as it was.
Mar 28, 2007, 11:24 am
#44
Join Date: May 2005
Location: various cities in the USofA: NYC, BWI, IAH, ORD, CVG, NYC
Programs: Former UA 1K, National Exec. Elite
Posts: 5,485
Its better to be safe than sorry. Somebody makes a threat and that threat has to acted on. Who would have known at the time that this guy did not have smallpox??? Its scary that there are people out there that think threats/stunts like this guy pulled shouldnt have been dealt with as it was.
Think cost/benefit. By detaining X people Y hours, you take X*Y hours of life. Given the basically zero chance of him having smallpox, plus the fact that the dude was probably crazy and the real threat in such a situation is that he would harm others, the safe thing to do is let the pax out.
OTOH if he had claimed to have H5N1 or something like that...