DLNYC

Take a 5 minute break and read four randomly-selected articles. The details of what happened are amazingly clear.

UNHBuzzard

I'm willing to donate $12 or whatever the cost of 2 beers on B6 is towards his campaign. Unless they take DL chits.

dcstudent

No need to get personal. But yes, I have. From an AP story published this AM:

Slater was working on JetBlue Flight 1052 from Pittsburgh when he got into an argument with a passenger who was pulling down baggage from an overhead bin, the Port Authority said. The luggage apparently struck the attendant in the head, and he asked for an apology, but the passenger refused, the agency said.

As the plane was landing, Slater got on the public-address system and cursed at the passenger, the Port Authority said.

Notice it didn't say landed which would indicate the plane was on the ground.

Either way, it doesn't excuse the FAs actions under the law. To not prosecute him would be to say to all flight crews it's ok to go crazy, pop open an emergency chute and run across a tarmac.

One reason for a justice system is so we don't have people taking things into their own hands. The FA's appropriate response would be to have police waiting for the pax when they deplaned. And I'm sure that would be the prosecution's argument if this case goes to trial. (Which I highly doubt...the FA will probably plead out to a lesser charge.)

And just in case you want to know, I am a practicing Trial Attorney. (Although not in New York.)

DLNYC

From NYTIMES today:

"Law enforcement officials said that after the passenger cursed at Mr. Slater, he grabbed the intercom, cursed her out, bid passengers goodbye, grabbed a beer, and activated the inflatable exit chute."

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-of-flight/?hp

From NYTIMES article yesterday:

"One passenger stood up to fetch belongings from the overhead compartment before the crew had given permission. Mr. Slater instructed the person to remain seated. The passenger defied him. Mr. Slater approached and reached the passenger just as the person pulled down the luggage, which struck Mr. Slater in the head."

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-k-then-flees/

(And I've just realized I know one of the pax who was onboard.)

dcstudent

There really is no need to get personal. The details will not be clear until the police have finished their work, including interviewing all witnesses. All of us, including myself, are just conjecturing at this point.

Anywho, regardless of the scenario there still is no excuse for the FA's behavior.

Let's just assume your preferred set of facts holds:

Why did the FA challenge the passenger directly while she was removing her bag?

Why didn't he just make an announcement for the "pax in seat XX to please remain seated."

Why did he ask her for an apology and escalate the situation rather than return to his seat and ask the flight crew to request police assistance at the gate?

What excuse would he have for verbally abusing a passenger over the intercom?

And please, just please, give me a good excuse for opening an emergency chute, grabbing some beers and running across a tarmac.

As for the woman, assuming your preferred set of facts she may be charged with assault (a stretch but let's just play devil's advocate) and interfering with a flight crew. Well, thanks to the FA's actions her lawyer would be able to make a wonderful argument that the FA was loco and therefore she didn't have to follow his directions because he wasn't of sound mind. And assault, probably pled down to probation before judgment (or whatever is similar in NYC to my jurisdiction) where if the pax doesn't get arrested for the next year or so this all just disappears.

777 global mile hound

Good post and spot on.Thanks for the kind thoughts
Its the human condition.We all are subject to a meltdown somewhere along lifes highway.As long as it doesn't put others safety in question.

I think the FA should be given 6 month to one year suspension from Jet Blue plus pay if he was assaulted/injured
however also made to pay for the aircraft recovery.
Other than that I don't see him as a threat now or going forward.
He had a great record from what I can understand
The passenger should also be banned for some period if the facts are correct
A formal apology should be issued by both when all is calm.It takes two

A small percentage of FAs in my many years of flying should also get out of the business for their awful bitter cranky attitudes and over the top controlling behavior.On the other hand pax who behave poorly or assualt FAs in anyway should be arrested and banned from flying.
That would go along way in improving passenger behavior.

Up in the air no one on either side has the right to assault each other with luggage or anything else for that matter.
It should be a ladies and gentleman world up there in the friendly skies
Safe travels all and take a deep breath for onboard drama free skies

youreadyfreddie

TMB: LOVE this! I can see it now: CELEBRITY FA STEVEN SLATER KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT OCTOBER CHICAGO DO!

As a veteran of many bad days at the office, I feel for the guy, and I hope his lawyer gets maximum mileage out of the fact that Mr Slater was evidently hit in the head before he went non linear.

CALimey

Probably?

This is the guy who when some internet prankster created a photoshopped safety card showing coin slots for oxygen masks and paying FAs for lifejackets PUT IT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE RYANAIR WEBSITE, along with a competition to see if anyone could come up with ancillary ways of generating revenue that his twisted mind had not thought of. O'Leary hates everything about his passengers except their money. To give him his credit, though, he's quite open and honest about this ;-)

dcstudent

DLNYC we're going to have to agree to disagree. If I understand you correctly, it's ok for a flight attendant who places himself in a situation where he could get injured, and then does get injured, is then excused from all repurcussions for whatever actions the FA then decides to take.

I'm of the opinion that regardless of the pax's actions the FA doesn't have carte blanche to do whatever he wishes without legal responsibility for the consequences.

Obviously, my knowledge of the law isn't going to convince you. And, you're quoting newspaper stories isn't going to convince me that an FA shouldn't be excused for verbally abusing a passenger, popping a chute and tearing across a tarmac and then racing home.

We'll see how the legal system sees this soon enough.

DLNYC

Agreed

For the record, I'm not suggesting he be excused from ALL repercussions. He should pay a fine, be required to be re-trained, take some time off the job. As for the other passengers, claiming "emotional distress" is a major stretch.

gglave

Apparently Slater's an Airliner.net regular -

http://www.elliott.org/blog/jetblue-...th-that-to-me/

(With apologies for the Elliott.org url)

dcstudent

Agreed as well. But I'm a betting man, and I figure someone will try. After all more frivolus claims have been successful before.

edcli

He's got a facebook page too: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steven...45469768806134

MizLiz

Looks like a clear case of a worker's compensation claim to me. Dude was hit in the head in the course of carrying out his work duties, maybe sustained a mild concussion, and has no recollection of anything that happened after that . . . I'm just sayin' . . . I've seen some wild claims go the distance. Wonder if he gave the cops a statement or was smart enough to remain silent?

acker

I am so loving this guy. Award Wallet tells me I've got almost 3 million points/miles. The last thing Steven probably wants is a vacation that involves a plane. But Steven, if you're out there, you're welcome to my points. 2.9 million points must translate to a decent cruise somewhere. You rock.