Reports: SFO-bound flight diverted due to unruly passenger

[Newsjock]

Source: Oakland Tribune

Two F-16 fighters were launched today in response to reports of an unruly passenger aboard AirTran flight 39 from Atlanta bound for San Francisco, according to news reports.

Officials with Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., said the fighters were launched under the direction of Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region around 11:45 a.m. mountain time, according to a report on WSBTV.com, an Atlanta station.

The fighters arrived overhead of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport as the pilot of the commercial airliner landed the Boeing 737 there safely at approximately noon MST, where the plane was met by law enforcement.

AirTran released a statement Friday afternoon that said the flight was diverted because of a "disruptive and allegedly intoxicated passenger onboard."


Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14150736

[Brother Buzz]

1. How do two F-16 fighter jets help in a situation like this?

:shrug:

[FarCenter]

2. We need a national Mean Drunk Registry

[SeattleGirl]

3. ....

:thumbsup:

[wordpix]

28. lol

[Newsjock]

4. Reports: SFO-bound flight diverted due to unruly passenger

Source: Oakland Tribune

Two F-16 fighters were launched today in response to reports of an unruly passenger aboard AirTran flight 39 from Atlanta bound for San Francisco, according to news reports.

Officials with Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., said the fighters were launched under the direction of Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region around 11:45 a.m. mountain time, according to a report on WSBTV.com, an Atlanta station.

The fighters arrived overhead of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport as the pilot of the commercial airliner landed the Boeing 737 there safely at approximately noon MST, where the plane was met by law enforcement.

AirTran released a statement Friday afternoon that said the flight was diverted because of a "disruptive and allegedly intoxicated passenger onboard."


Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14150736

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. Second one I've heard of today

The first was a Pittsburgh to Paris flight which was also diverted due to an unruly (drunk) passenger.

Pittsburgh-To-Paris Flight Diverted Due To ‘Unruly’ Passenger

PITTSBURGH -- Officials said a flight from Pittsburgh to Paris was grounded on Thursday after a passenger started acting “unruly.”

A representative from Delta said Flight 188 left Pittsburgh at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday but was diverted to an airport in St. Johns, New Foundland.

According to Delta, while in flight a male passenger started acting “unruly” on the aircraft.

Once the plan landed, officials said the man was removed from the plane and taken into custody of local authorities.

Police said the man was intoxicated. They held him until he was sober and released him.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/22186073/detail.html

[pinniped]

6. A squadron of F16s should have been sent. Anything less, and that unruly passenger....

might not take them seriously.

[depakid]

7. F-16s scrambled due to unruly airline passenger (Atlanta to San Francisco)

Source: AFP

Two F-16 fighter jets took to the air Friday after a report of an unruly passenger aboard a airliner bound for San Francisco, the North American Aerospace Defence Command said.

As the fighter aircraft arrived, the Air Tran plane that had taken off from Atlanta landed safely in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at noon local time (1900 GMT), NORAD said in a statement.

The F-16 warplanes were launched "today in response to reports of an unruly passenger aboard Air Tran Flight 39 from Atlanta bound for San Francisco," NORAD said.

It was the second such incident in three days, with two F-15 fighters intercepting an airliner bound for Hawaii on Wednesday after a passenger caused a "disturbance."

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/102167/f-16s_scrambled_due_to_unruly_airline_passenger%3A_us/

[Xipe Totec]

8. That should encourage passengers to subdue the unruly quickly

Before the F-16 subdues the entire list of passengers and crew...

:eyes:

[Pirate Smile]

9. I guess the undie bomber told them there were 20 more like him sent to try to blow up

planes. I would guess that is why they are so quick to scramble jets.

[Doctor_J]

10. Too bad the 9/11 hijackers weren't unruly

maybe some fighters would have been scrambled then

[TheWatcher]

25. But then you wouldn't have this burgeoning Police State to "Keep You Safe"

Why Do You Hate Being Safe?

Sigh, the serfs are so ungrateful these days.

:sarcasm:

[catnhatnh]

11. I don't even know how to address this.

But overreaction is my first thought.

[mrbarber]

13. And if he had turned out to be some wacko with a weapon, would it have been an...

"overreaction" than?

[catnhatnh]

16. Yes-he was described as "unruly"...

Until he was described as "armed" I'm afraid two cowboys with radar and heat seeking missiles will scare the shit out of me much faster than a drunk or a mentally ill person. Or even a raving idiot.

[ronnie624]

30. The reason for scrambling fighter aircraft,

would be to shoot down the airliner to prevent a hijacker from crashing it into a densely populated area. That is the only effective action a fighter plane could take. I'm inclined to believe that everyone who was aware of the situation aboard this aircraft was also aware they were dealing with an unarmed, drunk passenger, and that there was no possibility of him commandeering the plane or causing it to crash.

All policies and decisions resulting from the "war on terror" are inherently irrational because the public justifications are all lies.

[The abyss]

12. ROFLOL - Not another one

I can't wait to hear the back story on this..

Thanks for posting

[sulphurdunn]

14. I'd like to know the timeline

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. NORAD obviously didn't bother to do that on 9/11

[Snazzy]

17. a drunk guy in the bathroom, oh no!

http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=11791750

...The AirTran Airways plane was diverted to Colorado Springs Airport because a drunk passenger locked himself in the airplane's bathroom Friday. The captain made the decision to divert to Colorado Springs Airport to have the passenger removed from the aircraft.

-------

I'll wager they called the last hour no bathroom use TSA brainiac rule while this one was mid, uh, evacuation.

If i were flying this week, I like to picture myself as drunk, possibly wearing my underware on my head.

Oh to the guy thinking it's not an over reaction--you do realize the jets are there to shoot the friggin' plane down, right?

Do a google news search on keyword unruly--this stuff is way out of control. Oh here:

http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=unruly

[mrbarber]

18. The jets are there to be a deterrent.

But fuck it, let's let everyone do whatever they want on planes, right?

Because nobody has ever used the restrooms to stage attacks on the passengers and personnel, right?

Nah, it's just an overreaction-till it's not, and than everyone starts screaming and wringing their hands about how proper security measures weren't kept.

Damned if you do, damned if you dont.

[Snazzy]

21. ah the guy! cool

Let us move to safety and security by banning the restroom all together shall we? Diapers I say, diapers. Good enough for the astronauts, good enough for all of us.

[catnhatnh]

23. Detterent to whom?

A drunk in the bathroom? And yes-please list and give links to bathroom attacks. And the last time someone acknowledged as a drunk brought down an airliner.

[MetaTrope]

27. Not to mention, who supplied him with the alcohol?

Perhaps they need to be charged...

[wordpix]

29. whole story not out--maybe he had some drinks at the bar or drugs before boarding

:shrug: ???

[The abyss]

19. Thanks for story details!

+1 for comments and google link

[liberal N proud]

20. Whats up with all these insane threats?

This is the second if not third case of some passenger getting unruly on-board.

We have had several cases where airports were on lock down because security was breached.

All this since the Fruit of the Boom attempt on Christmas.

:wtf: all the tea baggers go nuts at once?
One has to wonder.

[slackmaster]

22. They should start summarily ejecting unruly passengers from planes

With no refund and no parachute.

[Prometheus Bound]

24. Not-so-subtle message to pilots: 'Just keep bothering us with housekeeping issues.'

And you may end up getting shot down. Deal with it you useless farts.

[Bonobo]

26. I have made the right decision.

I am getting my family out of this country.

I sincerely wish you all good luck. Sincerely.

I hope it turns around someday. I tried as much as I could, but I give up.