Passenger plane escorted by F15s due to unruly passenger

[DGTess]

This is SOP for the Air Force. They don't ever WANT to shoot down a civilian airliner, but if they must sacrifice 200 to save thousands, they may. I wouldn't want to make that call, and I don't know of any command pilot anywhere who does.

When golfer Payne Stewart's plane crashed in October 2009, it was being escorted by USAF fighters who were prepared to shoot it down if necessary. It's not only airliners they are prepared for.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by DGTess

This is SOP for the Air Force. They don't ever WANT to shoot down a civilian airliner, but if they must sacrifice 200 to save thousands, they may. I wouldn't want to make that call, and I don't know of any command pilot anywhere who does.

When golfer Payne Stewart's plane crashed in October 2009, it was being escorted by USAF fighters who were prepared to shoot it down if necessary. It's not only airliners they are prepared for.

Yeah, I can't think of a worse order that they would have to think about following. If it came down to it, though, that's what we need them there for.

[AOII Angel]

Well, here are the specifics...sounds like a weirdo who rarely flies got a little mad about not being able to stow his bag below his seat then wrote a strange note on a card that he thought would be opened later only to be opened immediately. What a complete and utter moron!

Link

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Well, here are the specifics...sounds like a weirdo who rarely flies got a little mad about not being able to stow his bag below his seat then wrote a strange note on a card that he thought would be opened later only to be opened immediately. What a complete and utter moron!

Link

Everyone should really read this article. It's kindof hilarious. I actually feel bad for the guy - I think he was just really nervous about flying and was desperate to find anything to keep himself occupied - hence wanting access to his bag, and writing on a bunch of comment cards. Here's what the comment card said (in case some of you don't want to read the article):

"I thought I was going to die, we were so high up," the card said. "I thought to myself: I hope we don't crash and burn or worse yet landing in the ocean, living through it, only to be eaten by sharks, or worse yet, end up on some place like Gilligan's Island, stranded, or worse yet, be eaten by a tribe of headhunters, speaking of headhunters, why do they just eat outsiders, and not the family members? Strange ... and what if the plane ripped apart in mid-flight and we plumited (sic) to earth, landed on Gilligan's Island and then lived through it, and the only woman there was Mrs. Thurston Howell III? No Mary Anne (my favorite) no Ginger, just Lovey! If it were just her, I think I'd opt for the sharks, maybe the headhunters."

[AXOmom]

Well he's from Salem - our capitol, so yeah, plenty of complete and utter morons there. Actually, I'm embarrassed to say that complete and utter morons are pretty common throughout the state. I've lived here a LONG time and still hardly a day goes by that I don't find myself well...baffled. My theory is that rain rusts the brain.

I do amend my earlier post. I still want them to charge him with something, but it sounds like the guy had some issues and 20 years in jail is too much.

[RaggedyAnn]

The sad thing is that someone probably would have swapped seats with him so that he could have his bag. The exit row is prime seating and it is a longer flight.