Bollywood Spectacular Panned by Airport Security
Jeff Edwards September 09, 2016
Every Friday, FlyerTalk looks back at the week’s most charming individuals. While there are always plenty of contenders for our Worst Passenger of the Week award, only one lucky flyer can take home the glory. Here are this week’s winners.
Third Place – Eight Lemon Drop Shooters Later…
Texas Southern University student Mohammed Nasser Aldoseri was guilty of several party fouls during an alcohol-fueled beginning-of-the-school-year bender this week. Unfortunately, his boorish behavior didn’t take place at an off-campus kegger, but instead played out during a United Airlines flight from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
The reportedly intoxicated 26-year-old is accused of breaking into an out-of-service lavatory to vomit in the sink. Then, in what could only be considered a social faux pas on a commercial airline flight, the drunk college student began “to speak in Arabic very loudly,” according to police reports.
The pilot made the decision to make an unscheduled landing at Nashville International Airport (BNA) to have the unruly passenger removed, but Aldoseri was apparently done causing trouble by the time the plane touched down. Nashville Metro Police officers found the alleged troublemaker passed out in his seat when they boarded the flight.
In addition to telltale signs of intoxication such as slurred speech and glassy, bloodshot eyes, police say that Aldoseri admitted to consuming eight lemon drop shooters before boarding the flight at CVG. The returning scholar was taken into custody, where he was given a chance to sleep off his lemon drop hangover before facing charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
The Runner-up – The-Firebug-Firefly-Flyer-Fire
No matter how bad the passengers in the next seat may seem, the case of Idializ Gomez should serve as a reminder that it could always be worse. Chatty seatmates, the woefully hygiene-challenged and even most run-of-the-mill vulgar drunks pale in comparison to the dangerous behavior of this recent JetBlue passenger.
According to the FBI, the mile-high-firebug took the opportunity during an overnight flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Mercedita Airport (PSE) in Ponce, Puerto Rico to attempt to light two blankets on fire. Agents at the FBI field office in San Juan report that she had some success in her efforts to start an onboard fire, noting that “during the flight, Gomez utilized a lighter to ignite and successfully damage two blankets and a portion of the in-flight control panel of the seat next to hers.”
While passengers are permitted to carry one lighter with them on commercial flights in the US, Gomez presumably lost that privilege some time before the flight landed. The plane managed to land safely at PSE where local police immediately took the accused pyro-passenger into custody before eventually turning her over to federal agents.
Both the airline and federal prosecutors declined to speculate on exactly what motivated the in-flight arson attempt. Gomez is facing charges of “destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities.” If convicted, she could face a prison tern of up to 25 years behind bars where access to disposable lighters is much more restricted.
The Winner – Bureaucracy Trumps Bhangra at DEL
A publicity stunt for the latest Bollywood blockbuster caused a bit of a security issue at India’s busiest airport on Monday. Movie stars Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra showed up at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to promote their upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho. Oddly enough, it seems that the easiest way to gain access to the secure area of the terminal for the promotion and performance was for the two stars to purchase refundable airline tickets which would then only be used to pass through the security checkpoints.
Unfortunately, at the end of the promotional event, security at the airport objected to the two ticketed passengers attempting to exit the international terminal without boarding or disembarking from a flight. Meanwhile, the flight for which two celebrities had tickets to board was held at the gate until the manifest could be amended to reflect that the well-known passengers would not be arriving for their scheduled flight.
“They misguided the airline and the security agency by posing as flyers,” an unnamed Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official explained to the Hindustan Times. “It seems they did not board the plane intentionally and had come to promote the movie … But instead boarding, they went to duty-free area.”
The actor’s publicist insisted that the event was handled properly and implied that security officials may have been upset by the crowds that gathered to see the entertainers in person. “We had a marketing tie-up with a duty free store at the airport … the actors were required to pose for a few pictures,” Vishal Ramchandani of Excel Entertainment told reporters. “Once people learnt about the actors’ arrival, a crowd gathered and took selfies.”
[Photo: United Airlines]
You’re Reading
"Then, in what could only be considered a social faux pas on a commercial airline flight," Seems like plenty of flying airline personnel are committing this faux-pas daily when doing in-flight announcements on flighs operated by airlines from some countries (or, by courtesy, when flying in/out of such a country). I also find singling out Arabic as inappropriate - this may have been the passenger's mother tongue, to which he may have reverted while slightly incapacitated.
It was my understanding that buying a refundable ticket to enter the secure area was fairly commonly done by press (although probably mostly for domestic flights). I suppose things are more complicated for international flights, but I don't see the issue. If they bought a refundable ticket, I assume the cancelled the ticket prior to the flight, so where is the issue? If they didn't, The airline should treat it like a normal no-show passenger. I've missed a intl flight from MAD-RAK once. I was in the secure area and the flight had left. I was able to leave the secure area with no issue. I wish they had held the flight. It seems the issue here is more with the airline (and/or security) having a poor system to deal with cancellations/no shows.
"Then, in what could only be considered a social faux pas on a commercial airline flight, the drunk college student began “to speak in Arabic very loudly,” according to police reports." Sorry, but I can't for the life of me understand why speaking Arabic should be considered as a contributory factor to the passenger's removal from the flight. The fact that he was severely intoxicated and had damaged airline property should have been ample but the simple use of what is, in all likelihood, his native tongue is hardly an offence worthy of being offloaded.
Only 9 shots? What a lightweight! A frequent flyers downs that much at the lounge as a "welcome drink" before going for some bubbles.