An airline passenger faces federal charges in the United States after allegedly twisting the arm of a flight attendant who blocked his way when he tried to use a business class lavatory.
Whilst on route to Atlanta from Honduras, Joao Correa, 43, found himself desperately needing to void his bowels as a result of eating some bad food. Unfortunately, his path was blocked by the food and beverage cart so he ran to the business class area and asked a flight attendant if he could use the business class lavatory. The Delta Airlines flight attendant refused and blocked his path. The incident that followed resulted in federal charges.
The flight attendant claimed that Correa grabbed and twisted her arm; Correa claims he simply grabbed it to keep his balance.
Correa stated:
I’m devastated, I’ve never had any event with the police in my life.
It is a requirement of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) policy that passengers use the restroom facilities within their own class. [Sydney Morning Herald]
Hurray for the Flight Attendant. Food and Beverage carts do not completely block a airplane isle. This excuse was very lame by the passenger and people constantly always want to do what they are not supposed to do. First class cabins and coach cabins are supposed to remain seperate. The people in First Class have paid thousands more to get to the same place eveyone else is going. They pay extra for extra room, their own restrooms, etc. Have you ever seen the mess some idiots leave in an airplane rest room? It is ridiculous and people constantly try to pull such stunts. The passenger reportedly not only grabbed the Flight Attendant’s arm, but he also twisted it and threatened her. He might be use to beating his wife to get his way, this is no way to ask a special consideration. This is a crime and threatens everyone on the plane when someone is this out of control. I am sure he could have been a big boy and waited his turn or made it around the cart to the coach restrooms. He choose to go to First Class, choose, violate the rules, and choose to assault the Flight Attendant when he did not get his way. It is exactly this type of testing the system that terrorists use to see how far they can get. Hurray for the Flight Attendant for doing her job and I hope this guy has a very expensive experience. Maybe then he will learn not to assault people to get his way and this is probably a lesson his wife and chidlren would appreciate him learning too.
Mikie, clearly you and I travel on different airlines; I have never traveled on Delta or any of the other U.S. carriers. On just about all of the international flights I have taken the food and drinks cart does block the aisle, not completely but enough that if my elbow is sticking into the aisle more than an inch it gets slammed. If the flight is not flying through dinner time, then chances are the plane will be equipped with smaller carts that you can get around otherwise you are out of luck.
I am an Australian who lives in Japan and with the exception of the last couple of years I have pretty much taken a trip every year; I have never flown any of the U.S. airlines, but I have flown the following (in no particular order): Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Qantas, Swiss Air, Lufthansa, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Biman and probably a couple of others. Of all these airlines, I have to say that Singapore, Cathay and Thai blew away all of the others in terms of service (though Lufthansa was pretty awesome). The big difference, beyond the service, is the attitude of flight attendants. On Qantas, I found the staff to generally be friendly most of the time, however, there were clearly times when they wanted to sit back in the crew section and gossip rather than serve; and a number of times when I pressed the call button they didn’t come at all and when they do come they make it clear that they are being inconvenienced. It is clear that it is a job they have to do and not a job that they want to do.
All airlines treat passengers well when they are in business or first class, but the great airlines treat you well regardless of where your seat is and that is what keeps getting Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines rated as number one and number two for service. People do act like jerks on flights, but I think there are times when exceptions need to be made and when someone is ill, that is one of them. British Airways once upgraded me from economy to first class because I had become ill. Basically, if a person is not drunk, is rational but in some sort of physical distress they should be given the benefit of the doubt. I don’t necessarily buy the passenger’s story, but I have have encountered very pushy and difficult flight attendants. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.
Hurray for the Flight Attendant. Food and Beverage carts do not completely block a airplane isle. This excuse was very lame by the passenger and people constantly always want to do what they are not supposed to do. First class cabins and coach cabins are supposed to remain seperate. The people in First Class have paid thousands more to get to the same place eveyone else is going. They pay extra for extra room, their own restrooms, etc. Have you ever seen the mess some idiots leave in an airplane rest room? It is ridiculous and people constantly try to pull such stunts. The passenger reportedly not only grabbed the Flight Attendant’s arm, but he also twisted it and threatened her. He might be use to beating his wife to get his way, this is no way to ask a special consideration. This is a crime and threatens everyone on the plane when someone is this out of control. I am sure he could have been a big boy and waited his turn or made it around the cart to the coach restrooms. He choose to go to First Class, choose, violate the rules, and choose to assault the Flight Attendant when he did not get his way. It is exactly this type of testing the system that terrorists use to see how far they can get. Hurray for the Flight Attendant for doing her job and I hope this guy has a very expensive experience. Maybe then he will learn not to assault people to get his way and this is probably a lesson his wife and chidlren would appreciate him learning too.
Mikie, clearly you and I travel on different airlines; I have never traveled on Delta or any of the other U.S. carriers. On just about all of the international flights I have taken the food and drinks cart does block the aisle, not completely but enough that if my elbow is sticking into the aisle more than an inch it gets slammed. If the flight is not flying through dinner time, then chances are the plane will be equipped with smaller carts that you can get around otherwise you are out of luck.
I am an Australian who lives in Japan and with the exception of the last couple of years I have pretty much taken a trip every year; I have never flown any of the U.S. airlines, but I have flown the following (in no particular order): Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Qantas, Swiss Air, Lufthansa, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Biman and probably a couple of others. Of all these airlines, I have to say that Singapore, Cathay and Thai blew away all of the others in terms of service (though Lufthansa was pretty awesome). The big difference, beyond the service, is the attitude of flight attendants. On Qantas, I found the staff to generally be friendly most of the time, however, there were clearly times when they wanted to sit back in the crew section and gossip rather than serve; and a number of times when I pressed the call button they didn’t come at all and when they do come they make it clear that they are being inconvenienced. It is clear that it is a job they have to do and not a job that they want to do.
All airlines treat passengers well when they are in business or first class, but the great airlines treat you well regardless of where your seat is and that is what keeps getting Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines rated as number one and number two for service. People do act like jerks on flights, but I think there are times when exceptions need to be made and when someone is ill, that is one of them. British Airways once upgraded me from economy to first class because I had become ill. Basically, if a person is not drunk, is rational but in some sort of physical distress they should be given the benefit of the doubt. I don’t necessarily buy the passenger’s story, but I have have encountered very pushy and difficult flight attendants. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.
In regards to an incident in the airplane when guy wanted to go to bathroom and ended up being charged with crime, it would be hilarious if not for the fact that someone might end up serving time in prison over the nature’s call. Having more than 2 million people in prisons, Americans are obviously looking for more opportunities to lock people up. Perfect setup: isle of airplane blocked by the food cart, but you can’t use other bathrooms. Trying to sneak by or force your way in if you’re desperate will bring federal charge. Doing it into your pants will probably constitute urinating or defecating in public and bring some prison time too. That’s a way to increase prison population from its current 25% of world’s jailbirds!
Andrew, I couldn’t agree more and if you count the people in other phases of the correctional system those numbers would be significantly higher.
In regards to an incident in the airplane when guy wanted to go to bathroom and ended up being charged with crime, it would be hilarious if not for the fact that someone might end up serving time in prison over the nature’s call. Having more than 2 million people in prisons, Americans are obviously looking for more opportunities to lock people up. Perfect setup: isle of airplane blocked by the food cart, but you can’t use other bathrooms. Trying to sneak by or force your way in if you’re desperate will bring federal charge. Doing it into your pants will probably constitute urinating or defecating in public and bring some prison time too. That’s a way to increase prison population from its current 25% of world’s jailbirds!
Andrew, I couldn’t agree more and if you count the people in other phases of the correctional system those numbers would be significantly higher.
I guess they would have rather had him poop his pants!