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Prisoner Transport
On a recent flight from TPA to IAD (apparently rebooked as a result of TPA-EWR delays), two law enforcement officers (not in uniform) were escorting a prisoner (handcuffed) on our flight. I understand that this must happen and probably has happened to me more then I realize but in this case, it was very obvious. The question are, what are your rights?
a) Can you ask if a prisoner is on your flight? b) if yes, can you ask to be re-booked? c) Can you ask about their alleged crime? - I'm okay with immigration issues but probably not cool with someone who committed murder being on my flight? d) Can you ask if law enforcement is carrying a weapon? e) Can you ask what group the law enforcement represents (DHS, CIA, FBI, State Police, etc.)? The boarding process was bit weird. It started with your usual pattern but the people in question jumped the line early and stood out to everyone. The agents didn't get them on board so they stood around with everyone else for about 10 mins. which was just creepy. It would have been better had they reached the plane from the ground level up to the jetway in the same way bags are returned to you. They should be on the plane and not in the line with everyone else. The entire flight was uncomfortable. |
While I understand why you posted in the UA forum if it was a UA flight, IMO this thread doesn't belong here. UA follows the same rules other carriers do with regard to prisoner transport.
I don't believe you're owed answers to any of the questions you posed except possibly a. (Question c in particular is ridiculous!) If they answer "yes" and you ask very, very politely, they might rebook you as a courtesy, but they certainly have no obligation to do so. |
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
a) Can you ask if a prisoner is on your flight?
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
b) if yes, can you ask to be re-booked?
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
c) Can you ask about their alleged crime? - I'm okay with immigration issues but probably not cool with someone who committed murder being on my flight?
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
d) Can you ask if law enforcement is carrying a weapon?
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
e) Can you ask what group the law enforcement represents (DHS, CIA, FBI, State Police, etc.)?
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So item one, If you are on a Commercial flight and it has 50 or more people on it
You can pretty much be assured that someone on the flight has been to jail at least once (Simple US rates of jailing) There are some specific standards in transport in these types of cases If you see someone and they have handcuffs in front and no leg chains you can pretty much assume them to be rated non-violent Its only when you see a single person escorted on with hand and leg chains and escorted by 6 LEO's and there is a row in front and behind of everyone that you start to wonder about things... At the end of the day the LEO's transporting the person want to be safe and not have any drama's even more than you. |
Originally Posted by LordTentacle
(Post 25715616)
So item one, If you are on a Commercial flight and it has 50 or more people on it
You can pretty much be assured that someone on the flight has been to jail at least once (Simple US rates of jailing) However, air travelers are not randomly selected from the population. For example, 100,000-mile-per-year flyers are quite rare in the population, but there are probably several of them on your next flight. I suspect that the formerly imprisoned are relatively rare on airplanes, for obvious socioeconomic reasons. That said, while I'm skeptical that you can be "assured" that a convicted criminal is on any given flight (and intrigued by the math problem), I agree with the main point, which is that it occurs with some frequency. |
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
d) Can you ask if law enforcement is carrying a weapon? |
OP can ask any question he wants. He won't get answers to anything other than whether he may be rebooked. That will depend on his fare conditions and his willingness to pay the fees if any.
Both federal and state law fugitives, violent & non-violent, are returned to their "home" jurisdiction by both federal and state law enforcement and those agents & officers are armed as they ordinarily would be. There are hundreds of these transports every day. I am very surprised that OP, if he is a regular flier, has not routinely encountered this situation on UA and other carriers. Ordinarily the prisoner & escorts would have been pre-boarded, most often from the ramp. But, there is no requirement and certainly no particular issue in the way this was handled. |
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
On a recent flight from TPA to IAD (apparently rebooked as a result of TPA-EWR delays), two law enforcement officers (not in uniform) were escorting a prisoner (handcuffed) on our flight. I understand that this must happen and probably has happened to me more then I realize but in this case, it was very obvious. The question are, what are your rights?
a) Can you ask if a prisoner is on your flight? b) if yes, can you ask to be re-booked? c) Can you ask about their alleged crime? - I'm okay with immigration issues but probably not cool with someone who committed murder being on my flight? d) Can you ask if law enforcement is carrying a weapon? e) Can you ask what group the law enforcement represents (DHS, CIA, FBI, State Police, etc.)? I have seen this several times over the years, last time was couple of years ago from HKG to EWR with a guy in cuffs attached to one of the two escorts....must have really pissed someone off for them to go to Hong Kong for him The boarding process was bit weird. It started with your usual pattern but the people in question jumped the line early and stood out to everyone. The agents didn't get them on board so they stood around with everyone else for about 10 mins. which was just creepy. It would have been better had they reached the plane from the ground level up to the jetway in the same way bags are returned to you. They should be on the plane and not in the line with everyone else. The entire flight was uncomfortable. |
Originally Posted by Often1
(Post 25715781)
OP can ask any question he wants. He won't get answers to anything other than whether he may be rebooked. That will depend on his fare conditions and his willingness to pay the fees if any.
Both federal and state law fugitives, violent & non-violent, are returned to their "home" jurisdiction by both federal and state law enforcement and those agents & officers are armed as they ordinarily would be. There are hundreds of these transports every day. I am very surprised that OP, if he is a regular flier, has not routinely encountered this situation on UA and other carriers. Ordinarily the prisoner & escorts would have been pre-boarded, most often from the ramp. But, there is no requirement and certainly no particular issue in the way this was handled. |
Originally Posted by jfirstenberg
(Post 25715523)
d) Can you ask if law enforcement is carrying a weapon?
As far as flying with prisoners on a flight, I've done it multiple times and it's pretty much as you describe, except for the uncomfortable part. I'd be more worried about one of the other passengers causing a disturbance or one of the ESAs on the flight causing a problem. |
Only speaking domestically, state and federal prisoners are extradited from one state to another all the time. Often they fly commercial. There is nothing unusual about it. Also, there is a good chance that there is/are armed pax on any given flight you take, regardless of whether they are accompanying a prisoner. Just rest on that thought.
Prisoners are passengers just like you and me. If you have prejudice against flying with them, that's on you. Airlines are not obliged to rebook you, but they might do so as a goodwill gesture. And if you are curious to know what their offense is, cherish your right but be prepared to be told that it's none of your business. |
I have flown on a handful of flights where a prisoner has been transported and actually a few times ex-PBI and each time they have boarded through the jet way like any other passenger, though they did board first, with their wrists covered with a jacket or something to hide the cuffs.
I personally could have cared less, I did not feel any less or more in danger than I normally would, which is to say I generally feel safe aboard aircraft. Regarding Airline policy, beats me though I imagine that prisoner transport is probably not a reason to be re-booked without penalty. |
Originally Posted by Often1
(Post 25715781)
OP can ask any question he wants. He won't get answers to anything other than whether he may be rebooked. That will depend on his fare conditions and his willingness to pay the fees if any.
Both federal and state law fugitives, violent & non-violent, are returned to their "home" jurisdiction by both federal and state law enforcement and those agents & officers are armed as they ordinarily would be. There are hundreds of these transports every day.
Originally Posted by sinoflyer
(Post 25715932)
Only speaking domestically, state and federal prisoners are extradited from one state to another all the time. Often they fly commercial. There is nothing unusual about it.
Originally Posted by kmersh
(Post 25716039)
I have flown on a handful of flights where a prisoner has been transported and actually a few times ex-PBI and each time they have boarded through the jet way like any other passenger, though they did board first, with their wrists covered with a jacket or something to hide the cuffs.
I did not feel any less or more in danger than I normally would, which is to say I generally feel safe aboard aircraft. Regarding Airline policy, beats me though I imagine that prisoner transport is probably not a reason to be re-booked without penalty. Cheers. Sharon |
My experience
My 'brush with the law' in this regard happened some 4-5 years ago while on a mileage run on US Airways to retain UA status. I was transiting from one US flight to another at MIA and was trying to print my onward BP when I heard someone yell 'tackle him!' Then a fit man in handcuffs ran by within 6 feet of me, followed by a very unfit 2 men pursuing him at a distance. They were gone in no time, people around me didn't even bat an eyelid, and I got on my flight back north, wondering how often, like the OP, such transfers occur.
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Originally Posted by garykung
(Post 25715572)
...
See a). Beside - for security issues, only non-violent suspects can fly commercial.
Originally Posted by garykung
(Post 25715572)
... See a). You can always assume it is federal due to gun law (A FL LEO is not exempted to comply with DC gun law).
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