Posted on 01/10/2017 4:48:18 PM PST by Gamecock
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Former New York U.S. Senator Alfonse DAmato was escorted off a JetBlue flight Monday night.
As CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported, DAmato a Republican had a reputation in the U.S. Senate as something of a rabble-rouser. At age 79, that penchant speaking his mind seems to have earned him the heave-ho from the plane in Fort Lauderdale that was set to fly to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The incident took place around 8 p.m. Monday night. It began after passengers on flight 1002 to New York were delayed for seven hours in the terminal, according to a passenger and DAmatos office.
After several hours delay, the passengers, including DAmato, boarded the flight, passenger Jacqueline Galante told CBS2.
Once on board, they were delayed for another half an hour or so, until a member of the flight crew got on the intercom and asked if there were 10 passengers whod be willing to move their seats to adjust the planes weight distribution, enabling them to take off, Galante said.
Some passengers did so, but apparently not enough, prompting DAmato to get up from his seat at the rear of the plane and walk up and down the aisle asking if anybody else would be willing to trade seats, according to Galante.
At some point, Galante said DAmato spoke with members of the flight crew.
A few minutes later, members of the Broward County Sheriffs Department boarded the plane and escorted DAmato off the flight, Galante said.
The decision to remove a customer from a flight is not taken lightly, JetBlue said in a statement. If a customer is causing a conflict on the aircraft, it is standard procedure to ask the customer to deplane, especially if the crew feels the situation runs a risk of escalation in-flight.
Galante told CBS2 DAmato wasnt being disruptive and didnt speak out loudly until the officers boarded the plane to remove him.
He was talking not in a big raised voice or anything, just sort of like trying to encourage people; someone to volunteer so we can go, Galante said.
DAmato also talked with the flight crew, and although she did not hear the exchange, it was apparently enough to send him packing.
While he was being escorted off the flight, DAmato piped up.
We can still speak in this country, and what youre doing to me. And I want to tell you this Ill make an appeal to all you people. You want to know what? Stand up for whats right and walk out with me, DAmato said. Stand up and walk out If you dont, whatll you stand up for?
At least one other passenger apparently got off the flight with DAmato, Galante said.
DAmatos office defended the outspoken former senator.
Anyone who knows Senator DAmato knows he speaks his mind, but in this case he spoke after a long and demanding trip to Florida to visit an ailing friend, a five hour airport ground delay, additional delays as the crew sought to deal with weight and balance issues and then sleep deprivation, DAmatos office said in a statement. JetBlue has apologized to the Senator for overreacting and the Senator has apologized for speaking his mind at a time when he clearly had left his patience at the gate.
JetBlue did refund DAmatos airfare, and like other passengers, he was given a $150 credit for the delay. His spokesman said he did not know whether the former senator would make use of the credit, or decide not to fly JetBlue again.
DAmato was not expected to land in New York until late Tuesday.
Why is this news?
Irrelevant BS. Stupid Red Herring.
First time in my long life that I have heard that.
If that were a real concern, we would see beached whales shuttled around the cabin on every flight.
If balance isn't designed into an airliner, I would refuse to fly on it.
Nope, and that explains why I've never run into that issue. Smallest plane I've ever been on was an MD-80. Horrible HORRIBLE plane!!! Hate that plane so much I make damn' sure when I book a flight I'm not on one. Mostly 757's since most of my travel "back in the day" was either International (London, Brussels, Amsterdam) or Seattle, LA, Houston, Dallas, NYC and Boston flying out of ORD.
I'm glad those days are over. Now I just fly for vacation and it's almost always a 737 or 757.
It isn’t.
That’s why it isn’t posted in a news section.
You have obviously never flown Cape Air.
Lets make this simple, shall we? Imagine a small jet. Empty except for 20 300 pound lineman sitting in the last 5 rows.
I will reiterate. You don’t fly very often. I fly every week, and this, while not a frequent occurence, it happens every now and again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVL8RifMQ-s
take a look. This is what happens when “balance isn’t designed into an airline”. Why do you think the Air Force has loadmasters? (Didn’t serve in the military either, did you).
Guess not. Also guess I might have figured this might be a flight I didn’t want to be on. Only thing missing from this article of #FAKENEWS is what really went on.
I call BS. I believe the plane was an Airbus A321. If 10 passengers moving on a jet that size (190 passenger), I would be afraid to fly on it.
“Asking people to move, in order to balance the aircraft? What a bunch of .”
I agree - usually some racial motive at the root of it.
You guys really had it tough???
My wife was on a flight from Oklahoma City to Chicago and was seated next to Dan Rather.
take a look. This is what happens when “balance isn’t designed into an airline”. Why do you think the Air Force has loadmasters?
That was National Airlines Flight 102.
Four pilots, two mechanics, and one loadmaster perished in that crash.
The airplane, a 747-400, was carrying three armored vehicles and two mine sweepers, adding up to 80 tons of cargo.
At least one of the armored vehicles got loose and slammed into the rear bulkhead, damaging key hydraulic systems, making it impossible for the flight crew to compensate for the load shift.
Are they being PC here and not telling us the full story like this flight had several contestants for the show The Biggest Loser or a weight watchers support group with several obese 400# passengers on board?
< looks down, shakes head, scratches ground with toe>
I . . . I’ve got nothing, nothing that could compare to that, and you know it!
Asking people to move, in order to balance the aircraft?
What a bunch of .
_________________________
I’ve been on a few flights where the pilot has asked people to move for weight distribution. Maybe you don’t fly much.
Dan Rather??
That's some tough punishment. Where do I send my condolences/sympathy/get well soon card to your wife?
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