Saw this earlier… and it did make me wonder….
Two F-15 fighter jets escorted a passenger jet that had been headed for Hawaii back to Portland International Airport in Oregon after a passenger in coach became “uncooperative,” an airline official said Wednesday.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 39 took off from Portland at 10:10 a.m. with 231 passengers and a crew of 10 when — 90 minutes into the flight — its captain decided to turn around the Boeing 767, said Keoni Wagner, the airline's vice president of public affairs.
The fighter jets intercepted the plane at 1 p.m. North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a written statement.
It landed at 1:16 p.m. without further incident, the TSA said.
Upon the plane's return, the passenger — a 56-year-old Salem, Oregon, man — was escorted from the plane with his female companion without incident, the FBI and the Port of Portland said in a joint statement.
The FBI said it was not releasing his name because he had not been charged.
FBI agents and Port officers interviewed the passenger and his companion, the flight crew and others, then released the two and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review.
via Fighter jets escort plane to after passenger becomes unruly – CNN.com.
What did he do?
In a statement, the Transportation Security Administration said the captain decided to return the plane to Portland “due to a suspicious passenger who made threatening remarks and refused to store his carry-on bag.”
Port of Portland Public Information Officer Martha Richmond told CNN that the plane was turned around “due to concerns the crew had.”
Do I think it was an overreaction? Possibly. However, in light of what happened over the Christmas Holiday; any action, is better than no action at all. Glad to see that TSA is on top of things.
huh?! On top of things? Obviously the guy didn’t anything too bad because he wasn’t even arrested. Since when is a knee-jerk reaction a good thing? This is the kind of mentality that makes us invades countries “just in case”.
If our security was really “on top of things” they would have stopped that nigerian bastard before he got on the plane.
Another example of all-action no-brains:
http://www.politicalbyline.com/2010/01/05/breaking-news-michael-yon-arrested-at-seattle-airport/
You referring to me? Michael Yon, or the Government/TSA?
I’ve flown a lot over the last 15 years and can relate to being frustrated on a plane. Flying nowadays sucks. The new rules that need to be followed don’t really make things safer but it does add strain to people that are flying. You mentioned Ronald Reagan trying to add prayer in schools but I remember The Gipper for saying that bigger government was the problem.
We need to ask ourselves: If we accept being herded like cattle onto public transportation will that guarantee our safety?
I don’t know about you but I don’t see how listing to an ipod for the last part of the flight is a security risk.
oh and yes, I was referring to you 😛
I see your point… and thanks alot, ya turkey. 😉
So how come a crazy Phsycyatrist at Ft. Hood can talk scary Jihad against America an shoot people, but if you scare people on an airplane you get arrested?
Double standard.
Last time I checked, the Ft Hood shooter is in Jail and will be tried by a Military Court.
Um, No, it is not. If you do something stupid like that on plane. You should be arrested.