Abusive flier to pay
Dec 2, 2004, 5:54 am
#1
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Dec 2, 2004, 8:34 am
#2
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Wouldn't it be nice . . .
Sounds like the guy got fair punishment.
Wouldn't it be nice if this were usable as a precedent for compensation when TSA needlessly evacuates a terminal over a "human error" or "computer error" or for when a flight is diverted because of a 70s-era singer?
$60K for diverting or delaying a flight and apology letters to all the pax. And a year in a halfway house for negligent or habitually error-causing supervisors/screeners.
Zatkoff sentenced Sahutske to five years of probation, one year of which must be served in a halfway house. Zatkoff also ordered him to reimburse Northwest Airlines $57,900 for the cost of diverting the flight. Sahutske also must write a 15-page essay on the environmental impact of dumping thousands of gallons of fuel into the ocean, which the aircrew had to do so the plane could land safely in Anchorage, and write individual letters of apology to other passengers. He also will be fined $12,500 by the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
$60K for diverting or delaying a flight and apology letters to all the pax. And a year in a halfway house for negligent or habitually error-causing supervisors/screeners.
Dec 2, 2004, 8:40 am
#3
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But I do have to make one snide remark
Sahutske also must write a 15-page essay on the environmental impact of dumping thousands of gallons of fuel into the ocean, which the aircrew had to do so the plane could land safely
The guy will probably be expected to write about oil slicks and photogenic fuel-slicked seals, birds, and fish, but that just didn't happen. Probably won't get "credit" if he tells the truth.
Dec 2, 2004, 8:42 am
#4
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Originally Posted by studentff
Wouldn't it be nice if this were usable as a precedent for compensation when TSA needlessly evacuates a terminal over a "human error" or "computer error" or for when a flight is diverted because of a 70s-era singer?
$60K for diverting or delaying a flight and apology letters to all the pax. And a year in a halfway house for negligent or habitually error-causing supervisors/screeners.
$60K for diverting or delaying a flight and apology letters to all the pax. And a year in a halfway house for negligent or habitually error-causing supervisors/screeners.
Negligent TSA personnel should receive an even more severe punishment. At least this guy was supposedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs (though that does not excuse his actions). TSA are supposed to be clean and sober on the job, so there's no excuse of impaired judgement.
Dec 2, 2004, 8:44 am
#5
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Originally Posted by studentff
What delusional tree hugger came up with that? If the fuel was dumped from a safe altitude it all vaporized before hitting the water anyway. So if there's any impact it's to the air.
And do they have any idea how many aircraft have to dump thousands of pounds of fuel each year? This one incident is a drop in the bucket.
The guy will probably be expected to write about oil slicks and photogenic fuel-slicked seals, birds, and fish, but that just didn't happen. Probably won't get "credit" if he tells the truth.
Dec 2, 2004, 8:46 am
#6
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I wish the story had some detail about what the guy actually did. If he really did something deserving, then I think this punishment is great. Though, it doesn't compensate the pax for the trouble he caused.
Dec 2, 2004, 11:12 am
#7
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Originally Posted by Doppy
Well in that case, we should just start dumping fuel for the fun of it! Even without a reason to do so -- just because we can.
Maybe you should send your own essay to the judge.
Maybe you should send your own essay to the judge.
I'd rather he have to research how many passengers on his flight and others affected by the ripple effect he caused to miss seeing a relative before they died, a funeral, wedding, graduation, etc. Or an important meeting. Or just another flight. If he had to dig up that information and respond to either hate-mail from pax that missed family events or compensation requests ranging from millions in lost business to $200 for an airport hotel due to missed connections, I think it would teach him a better lesson.
Dec 8, 2004, 10:43 am
#9
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Originally Posted by jimc_usa
Maybe I missed the point, but why was it necessary to dump fuel?
Was the plane in danger of crashing?
Was the plane in danger of crashing?
IIRC, if dumped over land (and maybe water too), the fuel has to be dumped above a certain altitude to ensure none of it hits the ground.
Dec 8, 2004, 12:33 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by Doppy
I wish the story had some detail about what the guy actually did. If he really did something deserving, then I think this punishment is great. Though, it doesn't compensate the pax for the trouble he caused.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff in Detroit imposed the sentence Tuesday on Sahutske, who became loud and unruly after downing four shots of whiskey and two sleeping pills on a Tokyo-to-Detroit flight on Nov. 14, 2003. He was returning from a business trip to China, and the plane stopped in Tokyo.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Sahutske became so disruptive he had to be restrained in the rear of the 747 jetliner, was which diverted to Anchorage, Alaska. He also punched a passenger in the stomach and used his shoulder to strike a flight attendant.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Sahutske became so disruptive he had to be restrained in the rear of the 747 jetliner, was which diverted to Anchorage, Alaska. He also punched a passenger in the stomach and used his shoulder to strike a flight attendant.
Interesting note at the top of the story:
•A front-page article in some Thursday editions about a Warren man who was penalized after disrupting a Tokyo to Detroit flight last year incorrectly said the airliner had to dump 6,600 tons of fuel before landing. The plane had to dump several thousands of gallons of fuel.
Given the editing failure admitted by the FREEP (the outlandish alleged weight of the dumped fuel), it seems to me that it is very possible that the reporter either made up the part about the impact of the fuel on the ocean or that the reporter misunderstood the judge's order. For all we know, the judge correctly understands that the environmental impact of the fuel is on the air and not the ocean.
Dec 8, 2004, 12:54 pm
#11
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Too bad newspapers don't have competent editors anymore. I've never seen an airplane that weighs 6,600 tons, let alone one that could carry that much fuel. The MTOW of a 747-400 is only about 438 tons.
Given the editing failure admitted by the FREEP (the outlandish alleged weight of the dumped fuel), it seems . . .
(Among other fun stats, the gross weight of space shuttle (tanks, fuel, orbiter, etc.) on launch is only 2250 tons.)
Edit: I wonder if they had to dump 6600 pounds of fuel and a clueless reporter thought the pounds was a typo for tons? 6600 pounds (about a thousand gallonds) is a little less than 10% of the fuel capacity of a 742 and might be a reasonable fuel dump for an NRT-DTW that had to stop in AK. Does the civilian world commonly measure fuel in pounds or is that just a military thing?
Last edited by studentff; Dec 8, 2004 at 1:03 pm
Dec 13, 2004, 3:10 pm
#12
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No slap on the wrist
Whoa, a $70k fine! That is one heckuva fine. I wish it would get more publicity so it might give people boozin' it up some pause. Altho, I guess once you pass a certain point ... tls