Air rage gran scrambles fighters in Miami

[Engine overtemp]

From Yahoo news (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031126/80/eeyc9.html)

Wednesday November 26, 04:23 AM

Air rage gran scrambles fighters

MIAMI (Reuters) - Fighter jets were scrambled at Miami airport after an elderly woman threw a fit on an American Airlines plane and flight attendants thought she would attack them, police said.


Reports said the woman was aged between 69 and 79.


"They said old," a police spokeswoman said, adding she could not confirm her precise age.


The pilot of flight AA-2133 with 126 passengers on board announced an emergency as a precaution shortly after taking off for Caracas on Tuesday and fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane back to Miami international airport. The plane landed safely.

[Earl]

Must have been my ex mother in law

[Buster Hyman]

The Pentagon has confirmed that just prior to AA-2133 making a safe landing, they had concluded that, in the interests of National safety, DEFCON 2 was to be enabled.

"This is our worst case scenario" an unnamed source confirmed, although I think his name was Rex, "We train for this & have the very best people in the world on stand by, for just such an emergency." He said.

Terrified passengers recounted their amazing survival stories, "It was 30 minutes of sheer terror" explained Sister Ignatius, "I should have been playing my guitar to help calm everyone, but I was frozen, watching in horror, as this Granny, in a fit of Rage, took 30 minutes to get out of her seat! Honestly, they should provide potties for people with incontinence on long haul flights!"

Tim Matheson, another passenger who didn't want to be identified explained how professional the crew were; "As soon as she got to the toilet, the chief steward moved those of us seated near her to the back of the aircraft. I later realised this was to assess whether the dentures she left on the seat were some sort of incendiary device"

When asked if he'd happily take a Sparrow for his country, a slightly bemused Mr. Matheson said; "Hell yes. I love birds!"

[Bob Upndown]

MIAMI (Reuters) - Fighter jets were scrambled at Miami airport after an elderly woman threw a fit on an American Airlines plane and flight attendants thought she would attack them, police said.

Can someone can tell me EXACTLY what the fighters were supposed to do when they got to the a/c - do they have a new and as-yet unseen transfer device to allow them to board the plane and administer valium to the distressed senior????:D

Or should the occupants of the plane consider themselves fortunate Nana calmed down enough so they didn't need to be shot out of the sky????:hmm:

[Taildragger]

I think I was married to her once...........

[BikerMark]

Obviously the fighter jets were going to offer some of that nice calming "friendly fire" the Americans are so good at.

[newswatcher]

Apparently jets scrambled when pilot lost contact with cabin crew(?).


"An unruly passenger aboard a Venezuela-bound plane caused the pilot to turn back to Miami -- and prompted the scrambling of fighter jets as a precautionary measure, said a spokesman for American Airlines.

''It was just one huge misunderstanding,'' FBI spokeswoman Beverly Esselbach said. Agents interviewed the 69-year-old female passenger and others aboard Flight 2133 after it returned to Miami. There was physical contact between the passenger and flight attendant, but no one was hurt, she said.

Minutes after the flight took off for Caracas at 7:22 p.m, a flight attendant reported an altercation with a passenger, said Tim Wagner, an airline spokesman. After deciding to turn back, the pilot lost contact with the cabin crew -- which normally communicates via an intercom -- and declared an emergency to air-traffic controllers.

''That's what caused the fighter jets to be scrambled,'' Wagner said. The 757 jet, with its 126 passengers and seven crew members, touched down at MIA at 8:13 p.m.

The FBI interviewed the passenger but didn't charge her. The plane returned to the air at 9:40 p.m."

[ChrisVJ]

" The plane returned to the air at 94.00pm"

With or without the granny?

[jetjackel]

It just gets better and better. Jet fighters to protect us all against killer grannies. Imagine these days refusing to remove your shoes and belt is automatic bullet behind the ear.

[Dumbledor]

'the pilot lost contact with the cabin crew'

How many cabin crew did they have on board? It was a 757 so maybe 6/7 cabin attandants? Surely they can't all have been dealing with the demented granny. Why didn't they keep the crew updated on what was happening in the cabin, or at least respond to their calls?

Has anyone thought of putting discreet cameras in the cabins of large airliners with a screen in the flightdeck so that the crew can keep an eye on things? Worth a thought maybe?

D