Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

Sleeping BA Passenger Molested For 5 Minutes During London-SFO Flight

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Sleeping BA Passenger Molested For 5 Minutes During London-SFO Flight

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 24, 2014, 12:33 pm
  #1  
Used to be 'FTcadence'
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 432
Sleeping BA Passenger Molested For 5 Minutes During London-SFO Flight

Two hours into a 10-hour flight, a male passenger (Vinay Pochampally) squeezed in between a bulkhead and a row of seats. He positioned himself behind a sleeping female passenger and then proceeded to allegedly insert his hand into her shirt. He kept it there for 4-5 minutes before the victim awoke and Mr. Pochampally quickly made his way back to his seat. Multiple passengers witnessed what had transpired and reported the incident to crew members who confronted and reseated Mr. Pochampally who was later charged with simple assault in San Francisco.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...-molest-687432

Wonder why it took so long for someone to say something...
TravelingPeanut is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 6:41 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Shanghai
Programs: BAEC (Gold), PC (Plat), HH (Gold), MR (Gold)
Posts: 2,729
Deleted.

Last edited by User Name; Apr 25, 2014 at 4:55 am Reason: Removed at request of another member.
User Name is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 8:19 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
Originally Posted by User Name
I never get molested on my flights.

Mind you, the crew do keep plying me with Champers so presumably it happens after I've passed out.
This story is terrible...

Not to make light Of the situation that is horrible but I too would be an easy target....on a recent flight from GRU to YYZ I recall watching American Hustle but really don't....this is awful for the pax.
mkjr is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 10:51 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
I was on the flight - and there was no delay in reporting it - police came on and took him off before even the First Class passengers left - and more police (about 6-7 officers) were waiting to take statements from the various witnesses.

I was upstairs, so missed it all (apart from the delay in disembarking).
SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 11:53 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA Amex Prem, Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Sir Crazy8534 de l'ordres des aides de Pucci
Posts: 4,457
I suppose one question is why nobody intervened but you could imagine a situation where his actions were hidden until the victim awoke. All of us, in Y or F, fly with a certain degree of implicit trust necessary of other passengers. I hope the victim recovers from what must have been a very traumatic experience.

Last edited by crazy8534; Apr 25, 2014 at 12:06 am
crazy8534 is online now  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 12:00 am
  #6  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
He had quite a good escape plan, didn't he.
Doc Savage is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 1:07 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 632
I like the fact that the picture accompanying the story is of the seat map.
at240 is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 1:16 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London-etc
Posts: 3,893
Just read the story, wonder how much time he will get

Last edited by Polomarc; Apr 25, 2014 at 3:55 am
Polomarc is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 1:36 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,785
Weird story! I wonder how much of this stuff goes on without getting noticed / reported?
remymartin is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 3:05 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, England
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 3,772
How on earth could this go on for so long without any intervention, particularly on a daytime flight? Really quite shocking. I can only imagine it was so blatant that people thought they were a couple (even then not really appropriate aircraft behaviour for a LHR flight (LGW perhaps )

Hopefully this pervert gets the appropriate punishment. Luckily the flight was going to the US so he might get it.
Jetstreamer is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 3:25 am
  #11  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Originally Posted by Jetstreamer
... Hopefully this pervert gets the appropriate punishment. Luckily the flight was going to the US so he might get it.
He's been charged with a misdemeanour so the maximum sentence would be 6 months. Depending on his antecedents he'll likely end up with a fine.
Tobias-UK is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 3:47 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,911
Molestation and abuse can have a long term impact on the victims of these crimes. Apart from the court sentence, I hope no airline allows him to fly again.
gcuk is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 3:54 am
  #13  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Originally Posted by TravelingPeanut
Two hours into a 10-hour flight, a male passenger (Vinay Pochampally) squeezed in between a bulkhead and a row of seats. He positioned himself behind a sleeping female passenger and then proceeded to allegedly insert his hand into her shirt. He kept it there for 4-5 minutes before the victim awoke and Mr. Pochampally quickly made his way back to his seat. Multiple passengers witnessed what had transpired and reported the incident to crew members who confronted and reseated Mr. Pochampally who was later charged with simple assault in San Francisco.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...-molest-687432

Wonder why it took so long for someone to say something...
How did someone know his hand was there for 4-5 minutes if the alleged perpetrator doesn't admit it was there for 4-5 minutes? Drunk, unseemly lecher either way. Will BA blacklist him?
GUWonder is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 1:32 pm
  #14  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
If he's not a US citizen, it's doubtful he'll ever be allowed back in.
Doc Savage is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2014, 1:48 pm
  #15  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Originally Posted by Doc Savage
If he's not a US citizen, it's doubtful he'll ever be allowed back in.
Filed under "Moral Turpitude", ISTR from compiling the old ESTA
T8191 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.