Originally Posted by
SWCPHX
if it's a blip on the radar to turn the plane around for an unruly passenger then it's a blip on the radar to carry on with a secured passenger. Who's going to complain? The person that was handcuffed?
Do you remember how much bad PR United got because of an altercation with a customer? Do you think five pax securing someone who is then zip tied to a seat for X hours (lets say five, when a divert is one hour) while screaming, spitting, cursing, bleeding and generally having a meltdown, all being livestreamed by other pax is something ANY airline wants to see?
What if some other pax get tired of them screaming the N word and a couple proceed to punch them a few times while they're zip tied? What if the behavior is being caused by a medical issue (perhaps mixed/wrong medication), that if treated within three hours, would've been non-fatal? The legal jeopardy for any airline is huge if they don't divert.
None of which matters to a government, who is not going to accept the word of an airline that there aren't OTHER combatives aboard since there's clearly at least one. Land. The. Aircraft... or divert out of our airspace.
Regards,
-Bouncer-