Emergency Diversion of MCO-SAN on 4/20/2023
Apr 21, 23, 11:12 am
#1
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Emergency Diversion of MCO-SAN on 4/20/2023
I was flying the MCO-SAN non stop last night but it turned out we had a really long stop. A young man sitting in back, most-likely on drugs to celebrate 4/20, rushed the cockpit door THREE times in the first hour of our flight.
First he went to the front not long after the plane took off and the FAs turned him around and sent him to the rear. At that point he was doing a lot of strange things in the back like crouching and spreading his arms like a bird. Later, one pilot was using the restroom and he went bolting to the front. The male FA chased after him and turned him around again and he returned to his seat. Third time being the charm, he briskly walked to the front and started knocking on the cockpit door. The FAs spun him around and he returned to his seat. The FAs requested law enforcement or military passengers to assist. Two big guys sat next to him the remainder of his trip. At that point the pilot came on and said we were diverting to New Orleans to allow the nut job to get off the plane. We landed and he just walked off the plane talking on his phone. We spent a couple hours on the ground refueling and doing paperwork and then continued our journey to SAN.
Not to self: Don't fly on 4/20!
First he went to the front not long after the plane took off and the FAs turned him around and sent him to the rear. At that point he was doing a lot of strange things in the back like crouching and spreading his arms like a bird. Later, one pilot was using the restroom and he went bolting to the front. The male FA chased after him and turned him around again and he returned to his seat. Third time being the charm, he briskly walked to the front and started knocking on the cockpit door. The FAs spun him around and he returned to his seat. The FAs requested law enforcement or military passengers to assist. Two big guys sat next to him the remainder of his trip. At that point the pilot came on and said we were diverting to New Orleans to allow the nut job to get off the plane. We landed and he just walked off the plane talking on his phone. We spent a couple hours on the ground refueling and doing paperwork and then continued our journey to SAN.
Not to self: Don't fly on 4/20!
Apr 21, 23, 11:21 am
#2
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I was flying the MCO-SAN non stop last night but it turned out we had a really long stop. A young man sitting in back, most-likely on drugs to celebrate 4/20, rushed the cockpit door THREE times in the first hour of our flight.
First he went to the front not long after the plane took off and the FAs turned him around and sent him to the rear. At that point he was doing a lot of strange things in the back like crouching and spreading his arms like a bird. Later, one pilot was using the restroom and he went bolting to the front. The male FA chased after him and turned him around again and he returned to his seat. Third time being the charm, he briskly walked to the front and started knocking on the cockpit door. The FAs spun him around and he returned to his seat. The FAs requested law enforcement or military passengers to assist. Two big guys sat next to him the remainder of his trip. At that point the pilot came on and said we were diverting to New Orleans to allow the nut job to get off the plane. We landed and he just walked off the plane talking on his phone. We spent a couple hours on the ground refueling and doing paperwork and then continued our journey to SAN.
Not to self: Don't fly on 4/20!
First he went to the front not long after the plane took off and the FAs turned him around and sent him to the rear. At that point he was doing a lot of strange things in the back like crouching and spreading his arms like a bird. Later, one pilot was using the restroom and he went bolting to the front. The male FA chased after him and turned him around again and he returned to his seat. Third time being the charm, he briskly walked to the front and started knocking on the cockpit door. The FAs spun him around and he returned to his seat. The FAs requested law enforcement or military passengers to assist. Two big guys sat next to him the remainder of his trip. At that point the pilot came on and said we were diverting to New Orleans to allow the nut job to get off the plane. We landed and he just walked off the plane talking on his phone. We spent a couple hours on the ground refueling and doing paperwork and then continued our journey to SAN.
Not to self: Don't fly on 4/20!
Apr 21, 23, 2:21 pm
#4
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Thanks for the report. Unfortunate; sounds like AS handled this appropriately.
Apr 21, 23, 4:34 pm
#7
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Apr 21, 23, 6:30 pm
#10
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Apr 21, 23, 6:36 pm
#11
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Here's an eerily similar thread that *I* posted a few years ago where *I* got slammed.
Almost had an incident last night, FA's handled it well - Page 2 - FlyerTalk Forums
Sorry it starts on Page 2, just back up.
There are tons of crazies on planes these days.
Almost had an incident last night, FA's handled it well - Page 2 - FlyerTalk Forums
Sorry it starts on Page 2, just back up.
There are tons of crazies on planes these days.
Apr 21, 23, 7:05 pm
#12
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And sometimes (and that's a frequently sometimes) we need a sense of humor about things. I can't imagine a society full of Greta face.
Apr 21, 23, 8:13 pm
#13
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Apr 21, 23, 10:48 pm
#15
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I'm surprised it took that long to make the decision to divert and get the guy off the plane. It seems like the first attempt to rush the cockpit should have triggered some action.
