Air Rage News 2010

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5th January 2010 : Las Palmas, Spain

Passenger Tries to Enter Cockpit

A man suffering from a panic attacked is reported to have attempted to force entry to the cokcpit of the Thomson Airways flight from Cardiff to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. The man, believed to be a Spanish national, was said to be acting agressively to the cabin crew and other passengers. Reports state he refused to be seated then attempted to enter the cockpit at which point he was restrained by cabin crew and other passengers. On reaching Gran Canaria the man was detained by the Spanish Civil Guard. later reports have indicated he was released without charge.


23rd January 2010 : Denver, USA

Unruly Passenger Attempts to Open Door In-Flight

United Airlines flight 223, from Washington Dulles International Airport to Las Vegas, was diverted to Denver International Airport when a passenger tried to open a door mid-flight. The plane landed safely at DIA and police met the plane at the gate and arrested the passenger who had been consuming alcohol both before and during the flight. After questioning at Denver the suspect was sent for a medical evaluation and pending this the decision will be made regarding any charges that will be filed.


8th January 2010 : Los Angeles, USA

Hawaii-bound flight diverted after man accused of harassing a woman. A Hawaiian Aitlrines flight to Honalulu was diverted to Los Angeles today after a man was accused of harassing a woman onboard. The man was removed from the jet but, Los Angeles airport police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said the man released after the woman declined to press charges. The flight resumed about an hour after the man was removed.


8th January 2010 : Colorado Springs, USA

San Francisco Airtrans Flight Diverted Due To Unruly Passenger. An AirTran flight from Atlanta to San Francisco was diverted to Colorado Springs and fighter jets were scrambled all because of one unruly passenger. Over 130 passengers and five crew members were on board the flight it is reported that a man sitting near the back started yelling that the flight attendant was distrespecting him and became irate. it is aledged that he had downed five bottles of wine in less than an hour. Passengers then say the man then went repeatedly in and out of the lavatory and refused to return to his seat when requested to do so. Because of the level of disturbance the pilot decided to make an emergency landing at the closest airport, Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. Two F-16 fighters escorted the plane as it came in for landing. It has been stated that six police officers came on board and tackled the man and an FBI agent used a taser. Then bomb sniffing dogs then came through the aircraft to make sure nothing else was wrong. No one was hurt during the incident. The FBI has identified the passenger who was arrested, probably for intefrence with a flight crew, as 46 year-old Muhammad Abu Tahir of Virginia.


8th January 2010 : Heathrow, London, UK

Two Men Arrested Over Drunk Bomb Threat on Jet. Robert Fowles, 58, from Dover, Kent has been charged with making a bomb threat which grounded a plane at London's Heathrow Airport on Friday night. He was also charged with being drunk on an aircraft along with Alexander McGinn, 48, also from Dover. It appears Mr Fowles made comments to cabin crew which casued them to believe the aircraft was in danger as it taxied for takeoff. Armed police then boarded Emirates flight. As the flight then need to be throughly searched for possible explosive material the other passengers were taken off the and driven to a hotel for the night. A third passenger who was arrested, a man aged 36, was released without charge, police said. Their flight was rescheduled and departed on Saturday afternoon.


6th January 2010 : Miami, USA

Man Removed from Flight for Threatening to Kill All the Jews. In what appears to be a non-terrorist related incident the Northwest Airlines flight from Miami to Detroit was forced to turn around during taxiing and return to the gate what a passenger turned disruptive. Mansor Mohammad Asad, of Toledo, who is of Palestinian decent and is reported to suffer from bi-polar disorder was being load and disruptive and apprently said i want to kill all the jews. When the aircraft returned to the gate and Mr Asad and his family were met by security officers and while he was being search he charged at one of the officers while shouting and was then tasered. While on the ground he continued to rant and act agressively so was tasered again. he was then handcuffed and taken to jail.


6th January 2010 : Portland, Oregon, USA

Fighter Jets Scrambled Due to Unruly Passenger. With the hightened tensions in the USA following an atempt to blow up a flight on Christmas Day two fighter jets were despatch to escort an Hawaiian Airlines flight to Maui to divert to Portland airport after a passenger refused to let go of his hand luggage and passed a disturbing note to cabin crew. On arrival at Portland Law Enforcement personnel met the plane and the passenger was removed. it is being desribed as a low level incident but the extreme response shows the current levels of caution in the USA.


2nd January 2010 : Mumbai, India

Air India Passengers Hold Aircraft Hostage. An unuaual incident developed on one of the Air India flights that was diverted to Mumbai from Delhi on January 2nd. Flights from Jeddah and London had been diverted to Mumbai due to weather conditions and technical problems at Delhi. Passengers were accomodated in the passenger lounge then put on a special flight to continue their trip to Delhi which was due to leave at 5:30pm. Unfortunately after boarding the pilots discovered that there where still problems at Delhi and takeoff was delayed.

At 9:30pm the pilots decided to postpone the flight and left the aircraft buses arrived to take the passengers for dinner in the terminal then to a hotel, this is where things went downhill. reportedly around 20 passengers rebelled and blocked all the exits stopping other passengers and the cabin crew from leaving the aircraft. Despite security personnel approaching the aircraft several times during the night the rebellious passengers continued to block acces although things only got verbally rather physically abusive.

The rebels eventually relented at 9:30am the following morning (Sunday 3rd January) and the passengers were put on another flight and arrive din Delhi at 3:30pm. No charges have been pressed as yet against any of the passengers as India does not advocate strict punishments for unruly behaviour on board aircraft unlike many other countries.