‘We Have Had a Nightmare’: This Week’s Worst Flyers

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 – A Complex Carbohydrate Situation

If there is anything that can be learned from watching online viral videos, it’s that there are few more certain ways to escalate a tense situation than to pull out a mobile phone and start videotaping an adversary. A seemingly petty disagreement over a business meal choice turned ugly when a passenger denied the pasta option on an American Airlines flight from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) to Miami International Airport (MIA) decided to document the testy exchange for his Twitter followers.

The ordeal ends with the flight attendant losing his cool, pointing his finger at the camera and telling the pasta-deprived flyer, “If you talk to me again I call the cops and you get arrested in Miami.” Meanwhile, the passenger keeps filming and shouting questions.

The reaction to the cinéma vérité masterpiece was varied with almost as many online critics panning the over-the-top and aggressive performance of the flight attendant as those faulting the filmmaker’s one-dimensional portrayal of yet another self-important business class diva. There was, however, almost universal agreement that the pasta option on American Airlines flights is not worth fighting over in any circumstance.

The Runner-up – “I Don’t Give a F*** About Your Kids”

The rowdy passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to McCarran International Airport (LAS) was reportedly behaving like a run-of-the-mill disruptive Las Vegas-bound flyer until a father on the flight took exception to the belligerent traveler using foul language in earshot of his young children. Soon after he voiced his concern, the plane made an unscheduled stop at Memphis International Airport (MEM) where police removed the foul-mouthed Vegas-bound flyer.

It seems, rather than realizing the error of his ways when confronted about using indelicate language in front of the small children, the disruptive traveler instead got involved in a heated exchange with the concerned father. A video of the inane (and shouted across the cabin) debate that followed was captured by a fellow passenger.

“I don’t give a f*** about your kids.”

“I know you don’t; I do.”

“Who the f*** cares about your kids?”

“I do.”

“I don’t.”

While this direct-to-video production was released to mixed reviews, the live audience was certainly invested in the characters. Passengers on the plane broke out into loud cheers and applause when police arrived to escort the villain of the story from the aircraft upon arrival at MEM.

The Winner – “We Have Had a Nightmare”

The captain of a Manchester Airport (MAN) to Corfu International Airport (CFU) bound EasyJet flight described the chaotic scene that occurred mid-flight on Tuesday as a “nightmare.” Details of the disturbing incident on board indicate that the pilot’s stark categorization of the terrifying situation was by no means hyperbole.

“We have had a nightmare,” the pilot recounted later. “The man threatened our cabin crew, me and passengers, and then threatened to kill his girlfriend and children who were on the flight with him.”

According to eyewitnesses on the flight, the nightmare passenger necked a full-sized bottle of vodka before threatening his girlfriend and children. Passengers say that despite suffering abuse from the allegedly drunk and violent passenger themselves, the crew acted quickly to get the hairy situation under control.

In a monumental understatement, EasyJet hinted at the pandemonium that occurred in flight. “EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY1977 from Manchester to Corfu on 7 June was met by the police on arrival in Corfu as a result of a passenger onboard behaving in a disruptive manner,” company officials said in a statement released by the airline. “EasyJet’s cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. While such incidents are rare we take them very seriously, do not tolerate abusive or threatening behavior onboard and always push for prosecution. The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always easyJet’s priority.”

[Photo: Getty Images]