American Airlines' CEO says unruly behavior on planes 'has to stop' after a man was accused of

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

punching a female flight attendant in the face

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said unruly behavior on planes "has to stop" after a male passenger was accused of punching a female flight attendant in the face.

"We had one of the worst displays of unruly behaviour we've ever witnessed," Parker said in a video posted on Instagram on Thursday.

An American Airlines flight was diverted on Wednesday after a male passenger "physically assaulted" a female flight attendant, the carrier told Insider in a statement on Thursday. It said it had banned the passenger from future American flights.

The flight attendant was making her way through the first-class cabin when she bumped the passenger, Julie Hedrick, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents staff who fly for American, told The Washington Post on Thursday.

Hendrick told The Post that the flight attendant apologized, but that the passenger got up from his seat to confront her. He then punched her in the face, Hendrick said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/american-airlines-ceo-says-unruly-behavior-on-planes-has-to-stop-after-a-man-was-accused-of-punching-a-female-flight-attendant-in-the-face/ar-AAQ5Lxj

WTF?

[Ocelot II]

2. WTF?

[greenjar_01]

6. What the hell is this post?

Good God!

[NQAS]

3. "Has to stop" is fine

But I'm not entirely sure finger-wagging and stern language is going to cut it.

Arrest, prosecution, and fines to meet the additional cost of diverting are needed. Now.

Are sky marshals a thing still? Or maybe airlines need to have an airline security person on flights, who has the ability to restrain and contain such people. Sure, ad hoc duct-taping is fine. But I'm not sure that should form the basis of aircraft security in flight.

[DemocraticPatriot]

26. The airlines need to get together with their 'no fly assholes' lists,

and ban these jackasses from ALL airlines-- rather than just one.

These people obviously aren't anyone that any other airline should want on their airplanes.

[getagrip_already]

4. well of course he did....

(sarcasm). Flight attendants own the aisles. If a passenger leans into the aisle, they will bump them as they go by to clear the path. At least in proletariat class. Flight attendants admit they do this in flight discussion groups.

It's annoying, but not worthy of a physical attack.

I doubt that was the case in first class. It was probably just that she didn't see him.

It's the tfg affect. Punch at the slightest perceived provocation; especially against a weaker opponent.

[DBoon]

9. and reclaim your manliness by punching a working woman

[rsdsharp]

5. Is there anyone who hasn't been bumped at some point

while on a plane?

[Wingus Dingus]

8. "Unruly behavior" is not putting your tray table up, or taking off your mask.

What this guy did was straight-out assault, because he's a psycho. He could have killed her had the punch landed right.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

20. Absolutely.

Old western movies that depicted people repeatedly getting clobbered in the head certainly weren't accurate!

A person could suffer brain damage, blindness, and other kinds of chronic problems from a punch to the head too.

An Air Force pilot was sucker-punched at a shopping mall in my area years ago, and he couldn't fly anymore because the punch caused vision loss.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. The airlines have all the power they need to slow this down if not stop it

All airlines ban together. Ban passengers for life across the industry. Try to enlist passenger rail and cruise ships in the group. Ban these people from as much public transit as possible.

Enlist the feds and the courts to charge them for all costs associated with the fallout of their assholery. Diversion costs. Extra landing fees. Gate charges. Injuries to staff. Et cetera. Et cetera.

[localroger]

13. It's especially hard to board an airplane from prison

This was assault and battery, a felony, same as if you sucker-punched a stranger in a bar. Plane should have diverted to the nearest airport and had police waiting to take him into custody on arrival. Also civil liability for the cost of the diversion, inconvenience to the other passengers, pain and suffering of the FA and any medical expenses.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. All true. But that takes time and a good jury.

My suggestions are entirely in the airlines’ purview.

[orleans]

28. hey--not to change the subject but

HAPPY DU ANNIVERSARY!
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181577604

[Stinky The Clown]

29. Ha! Thanks!!

I had no idea that was a daily thing!

[orleans]

30. i don't know if it is or not

but i saw it today, and well.... time 4 U 2 celebrate!

[Stinky The Clown]

31. ParTAAAAAY!

[Ocelot II]

19. Delta is trying to get the other airlines to share their banned passenger lists

so that d-bags like this guy end up totally grounded. I hope they succeed.

[DemocraticPatriot]

27. Exactly. nt

[Initech]

12. Who wants to fly if you have to put up with these dipshits?

[spanone]

16. from first class to jail

[EndlessWire]

17. You have to read the article

at the link to see that police were involved, and the woman had to go to the hospital. AA is said to be urging prosecution to the fullest extent possible.

They had to divert to Denver. Doesn't that qualify for interfering with the operation of the plane? I think there are serious charges here. Personally, I think that the crew are the ones that are going to assist me out of the plane if we crash and I'm not dead, and maintaining a good rapport with them and your seatmates is essential. What was that guy thinking? He must be lovely to live with. What an embarrassment for his family! And, what possible defense would he have? "I was drunk." I wouldn't care. I'd convict, and send him straight to jail.

[Irish_Dem]

18. So what happens in an emergency if passengers have disabled the crew and resources were diverted to

deal with unruly passengers?

The Feds and airlines need to crack down hard on this.

[DFW]

21. Passengers like this have to be treated like the bullies they are. Assault is assault.

After experiences with American airlines descending steadily from "blah" to "horrible, why would ANYONE fly with this airline?" I can well imagine frustrated passengers. I will try mightily never again to be one of them after my last experience. My outfit must have between ten and twenty Platinum For Life AAdvantage members, and I don't know a one of them that only takes American because in Dallas, that is often the only game in town.

But when passengers start acting like they think it January 6th, and think they are Republicans in Washington, they need to be subdued by any means possible, strapped into special seats, odor killers at the ready when they piss in their pants, and led off by the cops at the next airport in humiliation.

[mainer]

22. The guy looks catatonic, not our usual bully type

Strange man.

[SMC22307]

23. What guy looks catatonic? (n/t)

[mainer]

24. There were photos of him sitting in an airport waiting area

Very skinny and frail looking. I saw it on another site.

[SMC22307]

25. Ah. (n/t)

[rockfordfile]

32. I agree