Originally Posted by
Stranger
How often have you guys been on a plane that had to return to the gate (or somewhere else on the apron) to offload an unruly passenger?
Never a return to the gate, but once it happened about to leave the gate.
I boarded a plane; the door had closed but the jetway hadn't pulled back yet. An FA was on the PA going though the safety spiel, then it abruptly stopped. Minutes passed. The airplane door was opened. So too the cockpit door. The FO came out. He talked to a passenger* who got up, grabbed a bag, and deplaned. I assumed the man had gotten word of something (via text or phone call, whatever) and needed permission to deplane. However, when the FA resumed her spiel, an ad lib (bolded) made me realized the passenger did not deplane willingly.
"In case of emergency, oxygen masks will drop down in front of you. Please pull the mask down toward your face and place the mask over your mouth and nose. If you are traveling with a child
(or someone behaving like one) please attend to yourself first, then the child. Breathe normally, adjust the headband to suit yourself."
*I recognized the passenger as a player for one of the local pro teams. I won't name the player or the team.