Where’s the fine line between Air Rage, Interfering with an aircrew, and Hijacking?
There’s too many instances of Air rage (DUH!) both airborne and aground, anyway, to treat them ALL with hobnail boots. (THAT ought to get a response).
Scenario – April 2000, Iberia Charter flight ex-MAD to Buenos Aires (BA), scheduled block time 10+30 hours (single deck crew). Add very early morning arrival…. Buenos Aires, Rio, Montevideo AND Cordoba fog (all at or below CAT2)….once a current MET report was finally obtained. (sound familiar?) Sao Paolo Guarulhos.. the ONLY ‘open’ field with decent weather.
One “Gran Classe” (1st) passenger, about 30 Business, and 420+ Cattle class, arrive at Sao Paolo on the divert (11+46 block time). Captain explains on PA that the flight must terminate at Sao Paolo due to legal duty time, but will continue to BA after crew rest or a relief crew is brought in from BA. Remember, BA is below Cat2 (by now, CLOSED). The sole 1st class passenger, quickly pulls out his cell phone and calls his mates in BA, relaying the fact of the divert only to be told that there were over 2000 people at BA airport (0500 local) and that the airport “couldn’t possibly” be closed! HMMM? Can’t see a thing…no people getting ON any airplanes….nothing moving??? Nah! Can’t be closed!
Meanwhile, back in Sao Paolo, 30 plus punters, all the business class and the one 1st class “Ars…le”, refuse to deplane… or to allow the crew off the airplane!?! Over an hour later, the “Federales “ arrive to try to defuse/handle the situation. Sao Paulo station manager then comes onboard to “help” and tells the rebelling pax they don’t HAVE to disembark…….”Bar’s open and, by the way, here’s the rest of the hors d’oeuerves from the 1st class larder…fill your zapatas!” Anyway, the Fed Police say they can’t take anyone off the aircraft, but finally cover the escape of 81.25% of the crew via L5 with a clever ruse. The purser, God Bless her! and a gallant few remained on-board to deter these oafs from dismantling the aircraft. Their duty day finished just under 24 hours.
End game….. the relief crew finally shows and takes about a third of the original pax on to BA that evening. The Gran Class passenger, happened to be Editor-in-chief of the major Madrid daily newspaper, El Mundo! NEWS FLASH!!!!, with coverage in International press, was that the CREW had hijacked the passengers to Sao Paolo! Where’s the justice? Why do we even try? Gotta get a copy of that days paper!!(and improve my Spanish)!!
BTW, the diverting Captain had the foresight to demand the crew go to a different hotel than the poor ‘stranded passengers’. Good call, Pete!
What’s the point? Maybe a lot of AR incidents could, or should, be handled differently…CRM definitely extends beyond the crew. But when the self-loading cargo starts banging on the cockpit door, slobbering, snorting and belching, then it’s, for sure, time to make some examples!
Gloves off time!!!!!
