Flight users often have to endure interruptions to their journeys because of problem passengers, but recently the situation was more than little nuts!
A United Airlines Flight flying from Rome to Chicago took a diversion to Belfast due to one passenger’s unreasonable behaviour. Over 200 passengers spent 23 hours in Belfast, many sleeping on airport floors as they awaited a rescheduled flight. Police arrested Jeremiah Mathias Thede after the plane touched down in Belfast and he has since appeared before magistrates for endangering the safety of the plane and assaulting a member of the crew. The man had refused to put on his seat belt until he was given nuts and crackers. He also messed with peoples bags in the overhead lockers, repeatedly went to the toilet, and became threatening to crew and passengers.
In another incident recently, Andrew Tosh from Dundee has been given a nine month sentence due to sexual assault, threatening and abusive drunken behaviour on a Thomas Cook flight from Glasgow to Dalaman. The airplane took a diversion to Gatwick so that the man could be removed. A spokesperson for the airline said that they have a “zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour on our flights.” Following this particular incident they worked closely with Sussex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service in seeing justice done.
It seems that people are not only fed up with unruly passenger’s anti-social behaviour. Heathrow Airport itself has been served with a mock ASBO by frustrated West London communities. The ASBO was given as a means of demonstrating the widespread frustration over the increase in aircraft noise due to increased flight paths. The ASBO was handed over to the airport by CAIAN (Communities Against Increased Aircraft Noise), which represents a number of local action groups. They are accusing Heathrow of beaching common decency by disregarding communities and the environment by allowing excessive noise and air pollution. As expected the group are also against Heathrow’s plans to extend one of its runways to allow more air traffic.
Passengers and flight crew deserve to be shown respect on any flight and their safety has to be paramount. Alcohol has often played a part in bad behaviour on planes and perhaps it it time that an embargo was put on it. Severe delays because of one person’s anti-social behaviour cannot be tolerated, especially over something as ridiculous as nuts and crackers. Play your part in being respectful and always let flight crew and airport staff know if you sense any imminent problems.
And consider packing your own snacks too!
