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Saw a man removed from an easyJet flight departing CPH last year.

He abused the FA as he was boarding, calling her a "stupid ***".

2 security people came on board, removed him from his seat and escorted him off the plane.

Soon after, the pilot came on the intercom, apologising for our late departure, but stating that "We do not allow our flight crew to be abused."

Good!

Flight Crew abuse is not allowed. Think before you speak;)

Recently an extremely intoxicated woman sat down behind me on a recent flight. Not only was she loud and belligerent, she kept trying to prop her foot up on my arm rest, no matter how many times I asked her to stop.

I complained to the FA and she was removed from the flight before take-off.

They handled it very swiftly and discreetly: They asked me what led me to believe she was drunk (I shared that her shrieking into her cell phone, "I'm on the plane and I'm so f******g drunk!" had been a pretty good tip-off) then walked up and down the aisle a couple times to observe her. Finally, they called her up to the front of the plane, had a brief conversation with her, and then had her collect her belongings and exit.

I didn't feel bad about it in the least. I didn't want her throwing up on my head mid-flight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylady (Post 18846630)

Flight Crew abuse is not allowed. Think before you speak;)

Is the Flight Crew allowed to abuse the passengers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSPFlyer1984 (Post 18843663)

First time poster, long time lurker.

I would like to say thanks to everyone for the great info on here. On to my question: It feels like I hear about people being kicked off of flights all the time and I have never seen it. Anyone have any stories?

Thanks!

I have seen it 3 times.

Swiss Air (remember them??). Economy cabin on a short flight, an older gentleman flipped his lid when he discovered that someone would be sitting in the row with him....he did not book all seats in the row. He freaked out and to make a long story short, airport police ended up removing him.

UA in 2009ish. Older lady poached an E+ seat. Rightful owner shows up, she refused to move. Argument goes on and on, police board and remove her , she acts like the victim.

USAirways in 2006. Drunk guy. Vomits in aisle, tries to pick fights with other pax, stinks of booze. Not sure how he got past the GA. Dragged off by cops. Pax applaud. Smells like barf for the flight.

I've seen this just once, a few years ago. I was in last row of F. A guy near the front of Y was behaving erratically (e.g., mumbling incoherently). The GA came aboard, left alone, came back aboard and escorted him off.

In context of this previous post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJKatl (Post 18844704)

<snip> The flight attendant started the safety message but stopped... <snip> The flight attendant started the safety message again... <snip> The door closed again, and the safety message started again. I think this was the time the FA actually completed the message... <snip> She was escorted off again and, once again, we heard the safety message.

...In the incident I described, the door had actually been closed and we had pulled back about three feet from the jetbridge, when we returned those three feet and the GA came aboard for the first time. After the GA back and forth and the guy being escorted off, the FAs did the entire safety presentation again start to finish, although they had completed it the first time around (when still originally at the gate but with the door closed). The repeating of an already-completed safety presentation matches what CJKatl described, per my underlining above.

So, is there a rule -- perhaps an FAA regulation -- that once the door is closed, if it is opened again for any reason and then closed again, the whole safety presentation must be given again in its entirety? In the situation I described (apparently as well as the one CJKatl described), it was plainly obvious that everyone on the plane had heard the entire safety presentation just minutes earlier, so repeating it seemed like merely following a rule because it's a rule, with no real value added by the second presentation. Nobody came aboard who hadn't heard it the first time. The FAs kept straight faces, but many of the passengers were openly bemused at hearing it all again so soon.

Welcome to Flyertalk, MSPFlyer1984 ^

Imho, it happens quite a lot (justified and not justified) and if you peruse the two Travel Safety & Security forums, you find a few threads worth a good read ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomanybooks (Post 18847467)

Is the Flight Crew allowed to abuse the passengers?

Of course not, silly!

Hundreds of times. I just spent a fond half hour reading through old flight reports about some of these! I do not miss being Station Manager at Gatwick. :)

Some of my favourites (names redacted to protect the innocent and guilty parties) :

Quote:

XX123/18NOV experienced a delay due to offload of pax DOEx3 for security reasons.

On boarding aircraft, pax DOE/JANE became very aggressive towards crew and other passengers, displaying abusive and irrational behaviour. Pax further claimed that her accompanying husband was a cannibal who was taking her to XYZ in order to kill and eat her. Husband advised that pax was on anti-depressant medication.

On consultation between ground staff and crew, decision was taken to remove pax from aircraft for security reasons. However, the husband DOE/JOHN wished to continue with his journey accompanied by child DOE/JACK. Unfortunately, as the child was endorsed in the mother's passport, the child would also have to be removed together with the mother. At this time, DOE/JOHN also chose to offload and remain with the child.

As the mother continued to display aggressive and irrational behaviour upon removal from the aircraft, Sussex Police were called and they removed the passengers from the Restricted Zone. All bags checked in by the group were removed from the aircraft.

Pax has been advised that the group MUST produce a doctor's note for DOE/JANE clearing her to fly prior to rebooking and that any change fees will be waived only when this note is provided.

Aircraft departed after 18 minute delay.

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Child pax DOE/JANE (age 8) was offloaded from XX123/20AUG on request of UK Border Agency and Special Branch. This resulted in delay of 30 mins to the departure of the aircraft.

Offloaded passenger was 8 year old whose father was attempting to avoid UMNR fees by having her checked in together with male passenger SMITH, allegedly her "uncle". This was subsequently detected at departure gate when passenger arrived unaccompanied and attempted to board without aforementioned "uncle". UK Border Agency and Sussex Police were advised and decision was taken to remove the child from the aircraft. Pax SMITH was cleared to travel.

Child was removed to custody of UK Border Agency and subsequently returned to custody of her father. She has been rebooked to travel on XX123/21AUG as a UMNR after paying the relevant UMNR fees and completing appropriate documentation. Change fee has been waived as goodwill gesture.

Quote:

Pax DOE/John on XX123/09OCT had been reported missing by his family at Wandsworth Police Station earlier this week.

Pax was booked to travel on XX123/09OCT but had been questioned by Sussex Police on 08OCT evidently sleeping in the airport. After pax had boarded XX123/09OCT, some family members arrived at the airport demanding that he be denied passage as he was allegedly suffering from a mental illness and they did not want him to travel. Sussex Police responded, removed the passenger from the aircraft and questioned the passenger. The passenger was 21 years old, held valid travel documents, stated his clear wish to travel and appeared to be of sound mind. Accordingly, police declined to detain or restrict the passenger from departing on the flight. The family were unable to provide any supporting documentation for their claim of mental illness and the passenger stated that these claims were false and were being made in attempt to prevent him from leaving the UK.

Capt. XYZ and SCCM ABC were advised of the situation and were comfortable with accepting the passenger for travel. The on-board security officers were also made aware of the passenger's identity and situation. Flight departed at 2231z with no further issues.

Quote:

Pax DOE/JOHN was offloaded from XX123/05SEP following his claim that his passport had been stolen by a cabin crew member upon boarding the aircraft.

Passenger had checked in and presented UK passport at the checkin counter. He had presented the UK passport again for secondary document check at the gate. Finally, he had again presented the passport at the tertiary checkpoint at the foot of the aircraft stairs. However, when he reached his seat on board the aircraft, he advised that he could no longer find his passport. He alleged that the passport had been stolen by one of the cabin crew who directed him to his seat. Following a fruitless search of the immediate area and passenger's possessions, the passenger along with baggage was disembarked and advised to file a lost/stolen passport report and to notify the British High Commission. At this time, DOE/JOHN accused two fellow passengers of breaking into his Duty Free shopping during the search and removing two Rolex watches of significant value. Following disembarkation, security and cabin crew conducted a brief search of the immediate vicinity of the passenger's seat but no foreign items introduced by the passenger were discovered.

The flight departed at 2351z with no further issues.

Quote:

Pax DOE/JANE was offloaded from XX123/28AUG following her detention and arrest by Sussex Police.

Passenger was originally booked for XX123/27AUG but was unable to travel on that service and rebooked to XX123/28AUG. When advised of minor technical delay on XX123/28AUG, passenger became very abusive towards checkin staff. While in the jetway awaiting boarding, passenger began throwing items from her carry-on baggage at other passengers waiting in line.

BAA Security responded to a call from agent ABC who witnessed the incident. Passenger subsequently engaged in physical confrontation with BAA Security and was denied passage onto the aircraft. Passenger returned to ticket desk under escort from both BAA Security and Police but subsequently became aggressive again and attempted to bite ticket desk staff and climb over the counter. When Sussex Police attempted to restrain her, she kicked and spat at the police officers and backup had to be summoned. Passenger was finally subdued with the use of a Taser and removed from the property by 6 police officers.

We are advised that passenger has been previously diagnosed as manic depressive and has been recently bereaved, which may account for her conduct. She has been advised that she will not be accommodated on future flights until medical clearance is received to permit her to travel.

Quote:

Pax DOE/JANE and accompanying INF SMITH were offloaded from XX123/19AUG on request of UK Border Agency and Special Branch. This resulted in delay of 55 mins to the departure of the aircraft.

Reason for offload was given as possible child abduction. DOE/JANE voluntarily divulged to a fellow passenger after boarding that she was attempting to leave the country with a child that she did not have legal custody of. The fellow passenger notified cabin crew who in turn notified the captain who chose to return to stand. The matter was referred to UK Border Agency and the passenger was subsequently removed from the flight upon their instructions.

The trend seems to be towards mental illness more than security!

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Originally Posted by B747-437B (Post 18854046)

Quote:

This one amazed me. What did the husband expect would happen to the wife if he - and the child - continued on with their trip? Did he just abandon her to whatever authorities happened to be on hand? The report specifically mentioned that the police were called and made no mention of any other relative/friend/whatever being present to care for the woman. Husband may or may not have been a cannibal but he sure sounds like a douche.

A few months ago at RNO I had just settled into my seat when a young lady stumbled onto the plane. She giggled and announced "I'm drunk but I have to get home tonight." From her demeanor I agreed with her assessment that she was drunk and sat back to enjoy the show. The FA was one of those wise old birds who has seen it all and knows what to do. While the young woman again giggled loudly and announced that she couldn't wait for another flight because she had to get home the FA nodded sympathetically and took her aside so others could get to their seats. The FA raised her eyebrows to get the attention of the gate agent who was nearby, meanwhile engaging the young woman in pleasant conversation. At the right moment the FA turned our inebriated subject over to the gate agent with a big smile and in a helpful voice said this lady will take care of everything. The young woman smiled and allowed herself to be guided off the plane under the apparent assumption that the gate agent would make everything OK. I wanted to applaud the FA for being such a pro.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westcoaster (Post 18854651)

Alcohol..many of these problems could be avoided by removing it from the equation.

It tends to arise from those who think a plane is a bar, and/or from those chicken hearts who are irrationally afraid to fly and get loaded to cope but end up doing just the opposite. And of course, the odd alcoholic who is going from functioning to non-functioning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJKatl (Post 18844704)

This is a from a few years back, and I cannot remember where I was flying to/from, but...

The plane door closed. I was in the exit row, door side aisle, and a Dutch man who was also a PM was other side aisle seat. The flight was quite empty. The flight attendant started the safety message but stopped. The plane door opened. Two women got on the plane.

The women appeared to be friends. One of the women (both mid-thirties, looked a little weathered) immediately went to the back of the plane, returned to her seat a short time later. The flight attendant started the safety message again. Once again, the plane door opened. One of the two women - the one who had not walked to the back of the plane - was escorted off the plane.

The door closed again, and the safety message started again. I think this was the time the FA actually completed the message. Once again, the door opened. This time, the woman who had been taken off the flight was back on with a GA. The woman escorted off claimed to have had a carry-on. It could not be located. The GA and FA decided this woman was fibbing. She was escorted off again and, once again, we heard the safety message.

The other woman then explained to the Dutch man and I that she had met this woman in the airport bar and the other woman claimed she stole her bag. She had gone back and reported this to the FA.

When we landed, the woman still on the plane went backwards on the plane, took a bag out of an overhead, and started walking off the plane with three bags. Out of nowhere, the Dutch guys screams, in Dutch, but then in English, something along the lines of, "That woman is a thief." Sure enough, the FA looks over and says, "Ma'am, I'll need to see that blue bag."

Although I didn't stick around to be sure, it seems the woman thrown off the plane was the one telling the truth, and the woman still on the plane had stolen the bag.

For the benefit of the non-cognoscenti what - precisely is a "PM"? Was he a prime minister, was he an afternoon, was he a petameter? The list of possible explanations is almost infinite.

Also, please remember there is a whole wide world outside Delta Airlines!