UA871 (SFO-TPE) 20 July 2023 Diverts Due To Unruly Passenger
#31
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From the op's on the diverted tpe flight, it is not at all clear to me what the pax was doing besides coming into the C cabin. There are a number of reasons for this including trying to use the lav because E lav is full or blocked. What is not said is that said pax was unruly or threatening to anyone aside from returning to the C cabin for an unknown reason.
#32
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Was he just trying to self upgrade? Or appeared confused or out of it? Was he elderly or younger?
I dont think self upgrading requires a diversion but there should be some other way of dealing with these people. Im in favor of a taser but open to suggestions.
I dont think self upgrading requires a diversion but there should be some other way of dealing with these people. Im in favor of a taser but open to suggestions.
#33
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAH
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Diversion is expensive to UA. I would give UA/FA some credit for knowing what to do. My first experience with an unruly passenger was 2 days ago with over 2 m miles of flying. Personal, I was scared of being trapped in a metal tube with that passenger. The crew handled it perfectly. We completed the flight without an incident. I am very impressed by the UA crews.
It was an United express flight. So technically it was Mesa air crew.
It was an United express flight. So technically it was Mesa air crew.
#34
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Well - we do have a 13 year FT member with over 4,000+ post actually on that plane agreeing with the diversion (post #4)
#35
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Do the airlines ban passengers like these that cause a diversion?
Just based on anecdotal evidence I've seen in the forums and the stories that make news, it seems the US flagged airlines are more likely to do a diversion and foreign airlines seems more reluctant. This may just bc these incidents that happen in the US make the news more.
Just in this thread someone mentioned the Singapore airlines incident they witnessed (I think the airline should ban that guy). I'm also thinking about that Air India flight that made the news with the person urinating on a woman and that flight not being diverted (and I think the guy didn't even get arrested. It wasn't until it hit the media that something was done to him if I remember the story correctly).
I fly Frontier often and despite F9 incidents making the news more often, I haven't ever experienced a diversion. The closest I saw was the plane pushing back, and then 5 mins later returning to the gate and a woman and toddler getting off. I did witness a family arguing with the flight attendant bc the mother didn't initially understand the edit row instructions and they didn't want her to move seats because of this. Passengers ultimately complied. I also heard flight attendants announced at end of boarding that passengers in the back would be removed if they didn't settle down (I guess two passengers were arguing and threatening each other about something).
Just as I was about to end this, I remember they kicked a drunk/high guy off LAS-ORD flight just as we were going to push back. I remember the flight attendants asking the GF if she was gonna get off with him. She initially was gonna leave him but then she walked out as he was almost out the door.
It might not surprise people that Ibe taken a lot of F9 flights out of LAS which might explain things as well as F9 being a "budget" airline.
Just based on anecdotal evidence I've seen in the forums and the stories that make news, it seems the US flagged airlines are more likely to do a diversion and foreign airlines seems more reluctant. This may just bc these incidents that happen in the US make the news more.
Just in this thread someone mentioned the Singapore airlines incident they witnessed (I think the airline should ban that guy). I'm also thinking about that Air India flight that made the news with the person urinating on a woman and that flight not being diverted (and I think the guy didn't even get arrested. It wasn't until it hit the media that something was done to him if I remember the story correctly).
I fly Frontier often and despite F9 incidents making the news more often, I haven't ever experienced a diversion. The closest I saw was the plane pushing back, and then 5 mins later returning to the gate and a woman and toddler getting off. I did witness a family arguing with the flight attendant bc the mother didn't initially understand the edit row instructions and they didn't want her to move seats because of this. Passengers ultimately complied. I also heard flight attendants announced at end of boarding that passengers in the back would be removed if they didn't settle down (I guess two passengers were arguing and threatening each other about something).
Just as I was about to end this, I remember they kicked a drunk/high guy off LAS-ORD flight just as we were going to push back. I remember the flight attendants asking the GF if she was gonna get off with him. She initially was gonna leave him but then she walked out as he was almost out the door.
It might not surprise people that Ibe taken a lot of F9 flights out of LAS which might explain things as well as F9 being a "budget" airline.
#36
Join Date: Jan 2007
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I dont think either of those qualifications are in any way relevant. For message board etiquette, sure, but they have absolutely nothing to do with behavior assessment and risk mitigation. No idea whether the decision was the right one or not, but I wouldnt give the opinion of someone with impressive FT credentials any more weight than any other passenger.
#37
IMO, the incident was much less about the passenger trying to come into the J cabin, self upgrade, etc. while we all love a good story about that, this was different. Nor was this about a passenger insulting the crew or someone else.
As described to me by the crew, offending passenger was going throughout the aisles and galleys, flailing their arms. Not responding to multiple requests to return to seat.
This is a 13-hour flight, in no way would you want so much uncertainty with a passenger like that. Even after getting them seated and calmed down.
I dont blame UA one bit for what happened, and will wholeheartedly defend the crews actions during the incident. Yes it is a massive inconvenience, but I was impressed we got out again same-day (a much better experience from a ~2 day escapade to HKG in 2019 that included something like three plane swaps, an SFO diversion, sleeping on the SFO floor, and arriving 24+ hours late)
As I mentioned, Ill add more as the days progress. More than anything, just curious to see what UAs follow up will be like (not from a comp perspective).
As described to me by the crew, offending passenger was going throughout the aisles and galleys, flailing their arms. Not responding to multiple requests to return to seat.
This is a 13-hour flight, in no way would you want so much uncertainty with a passenger like that. Even after getting them seated and calmed down.
I dont blame UA one bit for what happened, and will wholeheartedly defend the crews actions during the incident. Yes it is a massive inconvenience, but I was impressed we got out again same-day (a much better experience from a ~2 day escapade to HKG in 2019 that included something like three plane swaps, an SFO diversion, sleeping on the SFO floor, and arriving 24+ hours late)
As I mentioned, Ill add more as the days progress. More than anything, just curious to see what UAs follow up will be like (not from a comp perspective).
#38
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But I will give the opinion of the two FTer on board more weight than those of any of the other posters here on this thread. And the fact that they are not one-post wonders helps add some weight.
#39
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,776
I was on an SQ flight recently where a J pax was vaping in his seat, and wouldn't stop despite being confronted by FAs multiple times. Was this inappropriate? Absolutely. Should FAs have forced a diversion due to pax's failure to follow crew member instructions? Absolutely not.
#40
I dont think either of those qualifications are in any way relevant. For message board etiquette, sure, but they have absolutely nothing to do with behavior assessment and risk mitigation. No idea whether the decision was the right one or not, but I wouldnt give the opinion of someone with impressive FT credentials any more weight than any other passenger.
We all love playing armchair CEO, Pilot, Ops personnel, etc. but in some situations, you just have to be there.
None of us have all the information- Pilots had what FAs told them, I imagine they relayed that to Willis ops to debate diversion. My version is based on being in the immediate vicinity of the purser, several other FAs, and the offending passenger.
#41
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Fortunately, the disruptive passenger on the UA flight to TPE seems likely to be more inspired by biological urges or biological disorders of some sort than by any physical fights.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 21, 2023 at 11:57 am Reason: Let's focus ocus on the UA issue
#42
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
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Did this passenger really pose a threat? Or was he just an annoyance? There seem to be an increasing number of diversions by US carriers based on "failure to follow crew member instructions" but without any indication of a true safety threat. The recent AA diversion based on a pax simply mouthing off to the FA is a great example. https://onemileatatime.com/news/amer...tty-passenger/
#43
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I appreciate the backup, HNLbasedFlyer
Im not here to debate my qualifications (nor will I outline whether they are or are not relevant).
We all love playing armchair CEO, Pilot, Ops personnel, etc. but in some situations, you just have to be there.
None of us have all the information- Pilots had what FAs told them, I imagine they relayed that to Willis ops to debate diversion. My version is based on being in the immediate vicinity of the purser, several other FAs, and the offending passenger.
Im not here to debate my qualifications (nor will I outline whether they are or are not relevant).
We all love playing armchair CEO, Pilot, Ops personnel, etc. but in some situations, you just have to be there.
None of us have all the information- Pilots had what FAs told them, I imagine they relayed that to Willis ops to debate diversion. My version is based on being in the immediate vicinity of the purser, several other FAs, and the offending passenger.
#44
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#45
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