Drunk passenger locks himself in bathroom; NORAD scrambles two F-16s for rescue

[pissedoff01]

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14150352

F-16s scrambled and airliner diverted to Colorado Springs due to unruly passenger
By Howard Pankratz

Two F-16s under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command were scrambled today after the pilot of an AirTran flight from Atlanta to San Francisco reported an unruly passenger on board.

According to NORAD, the fighters were launched at 11:44 a.m. to escort the flight.

The Boeing 737 with 132 passengers and crew on board was diverted to the Colorado Springs Airport.

An intoxicated passenger who was disruptive had locked himself in a bathroom, according to John McGinley, assistant director of the Colorado Springs Airport.

McGinley said the airport received a phone call at 11:30 a.m. from AirTran alerting them to the situation. He said the plane landed at 11:55 a.m.

[goldcanyonaz]

1. *makes mental note* No more drinking while flying.

[Bonobo]

2. "Locked himself in bathroom"?

The light doesn't even GO ON UNLESS you lock the door.

What the hell is your option other than locking it? Jeebus!

So if I have diarrhea, I might cause an international incident???

[uppityperson]

4. If you refuse to come out, perhaps

[Bonobo]

7. Well, I may very well give them a series of "Hang on a second!" cries...

Is that against Homeland Fucking Security rules?

WTF is the purpose of security (checking bags, etc.) BEFORE if it doesn't give you the confidence that there are no explosives????

Are you telling me that even with all the checks that a person in a bathroom is a potential bomb because he won't open the door right away?

This country is seriously fucked.

[uppityperson]

12. "WTF is the purpose of security (checking bags, etc.) BEFORE if it doesn't give you the confidence t

"WTF is the purpose of security (checking bags, etc.) BEFORE if it doesn't give you the confidence that there are no explosives????"

2 reasons.
1) to make people think Something is Being Done!
2) to discourage some who would find it too easy to do something bad easily otherwise. Rather like why I lock my car. Won't keep a determined person out, but makes it a bit more difficult.

[malaise]

8. Of course

They'll soon tell you how long you can stay in the bathroom
This is about whipping up absolute hysteria among citizens.

[Bonobo]

9. I better take that imodium next week. nt

[malaise]

15. LOL

:rofl:

[kenny blankenship]

3. Rescue?

Not rescue.

[wuushew]

5. Isn't intoxication on a domestic flight supposed to be impossible?

Letting a drunk on or serving someone to point of intoxication seems a foolish liability for an airline to take.

[FarCenter]

10. You can get pretty buzzed in first class

But you need to be polite about it.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. He was probably just taking a long piss

He was drunk after all. I think sending f-16 fighter jets is a bit of an overreaction.

[hobbit709]

11. What were they going to do. Shoot him out of the toilet?

[Desertrose]

13. Or take the whole plane out...just in case it was headed somewhere "major"?

Overkill, I'd say.

[wuushew]

14. This has to be AirTran flight 39 from ATL to SFO

If the flight departed at 10:37 Eastern, then I am guessing they waited at least 10 minutes before serving booze.

[TheWatcher]

16. Delete.

[NNN0LHI]

17. Isn't there a key to override the locks in these stalls?

What happens if someone dies in one? Can't leave a stiff in there forever.

Got to be a way to open the door without getting NORAD involved.

Don

[happy_liberal]

18. and yet on 9/11 NORAD took over an hour to respond

...strange...