Originally Posted by
BuzzBox
Lead Balloon:
Were the aircraft's occupants 'imprisoned' in this case and, if so, by whom? In the car park/wheel clamping example, you said the 'person can walk away'. Theoretically, the 'person' in the airport incident can do exactly the same by getting off the aircraft. Surely the person is only 'imprisoned' if the airline or airport operator prevents that from happening.
Well spun, BuzzBox.
Theoretically, the passengers can get off the aircraft and drive the vehicle that’s blocking the aircraft’s movement, so that the vehicle is no longer blocking the aircraft’s movements.
Then there’s reality.
It may be that
both the airline and the airport operator have falsely imprisoned the passengers. But I reckon it’s mostly down to the airport operator. But for the airport operator’s decision to use the people on the aircraft as pawns in its money game, the airline wouldn’t be in the position of deciding whether and how to offload the passengers and their baggage.
The job of spin doctor for the Canberra Airport operator is presumably quite lucrative. But I wonder whether it’s fulfilling.