Passengers Removed From Flight for Watching News Clip
Joe Cortez November 17, 2015
Captain of Spirit Airlines flight requested foursome to be removed from flight for “suspicious activities,” including reading news on a phone.
Four flyers were removed from a Spirit Airlines flight in the early hours of Tuesday, November 17 after being accused of “suspicious activities” during taxi. The Baltimore Sun reports Spirit Airlines Flight 969 was delayed at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) over the questionable action of watching a news story on a cell phone.
The flight was scheduled for a 6:00 a.m. departure from BWI, en route to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). In a statement, Spirit says one of the passengers aboard the flight reported they were uncomfortable with the actions of a group of passengers who engaged in “suspicious activities” aboard the flight. As a result, the captain made the call to return the flight to the gate and have the group of four removed from the aircraft. The remaining passengers were ultimately deplaned as the aircraft was cleared by Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
However, the suspicious activity aboard the aircraft turned out to be rather routine. A spokesperson for the Maryland Transportation Authority Police said the group was simply watching a news report on a smartphone prior to takeoff.
“Everything added up to create a situation where [the reporting passenger] felt concerned,” Sgt. Jonathan Green of the Maryland Transportation Authority told the Baltimore Sun. “Everything was done in the interest of safety.”
The group of four were questioned and released without arrest or charges pressed. A spokesperson for the TSA confirmed to the newspaper no threats were identified on the aircraft.
This marks the third time in eight days where an aircraft was stopped prior to departure for “suspicious activities.” On November 9, several flights were delayed at Miami International Airport (MIA) after a bag flagged for inspection was allowed to pass through. On November 15, American Airlines Flight 2124 was returned to the gate after two passengers were acting suspiciously on board.
[Photo: Spirit Airlines]
"Uncomfortable" guys should also be offloaded, so that these paranoid guys think twice before complaining. Anyway, that gives me a pretty good idea. Next time, I'll say "I'm uncomfortable with my two neighbors", and I'll get the whole row for me ... I absolutely need to give it a try.
Worth mentioning that other passengers described the group as of Middle Eastern descent
What about the passenger who got out of her seat while the plane taxied and marched back to the back of the cabin, kid in tow, to report her misguided concerns to the crew? WCVB quoted pax as saying that FAs were telling her to sit down and yet she disobeyed a direct order from an air crew member, which is itself a violation of the law.
Were they watching Newsmax? That would certainly give me cause for concern. Not enough to bring it to the FA's attention, but concern nonetheless.
next thing you know, we will be removed for breathing, blinking, holding hands, "crossing" ourselves, and TSA forbid, saying a prayer. this is pathetic. its' time to start suing airlines for this insane behavior. this is no better than a cop stopping and frisking a black person because they're black. there has to be a standard set for probable cause, and farting can't be it.