Prisoner Transport
 

How common is the transport of federal prisoners on scheduled flights by the U.S. Marshal Service?

Last week I was on a UA flight and thought I was getting the last row to myself. I was moved that AM - so that the U.S. Marshal Service could have the last row for escorting a rather unhappy looking soul on the flight. A van took them to the base of the aircraft and they boarded first. Upon arrival, they deplaned last and a van was waiting planeside for them.

I hadn't seen this before, but rarely sit that far back in the plane. I wouldn't have ever known that they were there if I had been in economy plus or first class.

Are many prisoners transported on commercial flights? Any incidents ever result (other than on the Tommy Lee Jones movie)?

Not that unusual... I've seen two transports on UA flights this year.

Quite common on flights to/from Hawaii. Hawaii boards some of its prisoners in other States. They are transported for court appearances etc.

Does the prisoner get miles?

Keep in mind these are not dangerous criminals. Its not like Con-Air...the Dept of Corrections has their own planes for that. :cool: But yes, the HNL-SFO flights have weekly shipments of folks out to the bay area and beyond destined for federal prisons. They are always with an escort, sometimes two, and will remain cuffed throughout the flight. Sometimes the escort is armed, sometimes they are not. They are always required to be in the last row, so if you are seated there, you will be moved seats. They usually book their flights in advance so it minimizes the reaccomodation. Sometimes there are several of them on a flight, and in that case, no two are allowed to sit next to each other.

Hehe...imagine a prisoner getting 2P :)

Even further... I bet the marshalls accompanying the prispax get EQMs.. what a job :)

But no F on "work" flights ;)

You see this a lot out of airports near large prisons (for transfers and such).

I see them from time to time out of SMF since Folsom is close by.

And here I thought this thread was describing the experience of being 1K... :D

Wonder if there are any inmates that read FT.

I have 3p nomination to give away can I give it to an inmate and if so will he get access to E+? :D

I want to know what the OP (1K by the info under their handle) was doing with a seat assignment in the last row of any UA plane.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry 8800: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/3.1.8295/1724; en; U; ssr))

Wonder if e500s would work.... :)

I bet the prisoner couldn't wait to get out of E- and into a cell where he'd have some decent space and a meal. :D

FWIW, it is not always the U. S. Marshal's Service transporting prisoners. It could be any Federal, state,or local police agency. And it is more likely that one would see a state or local prisoner transport just because of the higher volume of state/local prisoners. Most likely what one sees on a flight is a prisoner captured in one jurisdiction and being transported to the jurisdiction of offense.