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Former Senator Al D’Amato Escorted Off JetBlue Flight
CBS New York ^ | 1/10/2016

Posted on 01/10/2017 4:48:18 PM PST by Gamecock

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Former New York U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato was escorted off a JetBlue flight Monday night.

As CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported, D’Amato – 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 D’Amato’s office.

After several hours delay, the passengers, including D’Amato, 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 who’d be willing to move their seats to adjust the plane’s weight distribution, enabling them to take off, Galante said.

Some passengers did so, but apparently not enough, prompting D’Amato 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 D’Amato spoke with members of the flight crew.

A few minutes later, members of the Broward County Sheriff’s Department boarded the plane and escorted D’Amato 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 D’Amato wasn’t being disruptive and didn’t 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.

D’Amato 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, D’Amato piped up.

“We can still speak in this country, and what you’re doing to me. And I want to tell you this – I’ll make an appeal to all you people. You want to know what? Stand up for what’s right and walk out with me,” D’Amato said. “Stand up and walk out… If you don’t, what’ll you stand up for?”

At least one other passenger apparently got off the flight with D’Amato, Galante said.

D’Amato’s office defended the outspoken former senator.

“Anyone who knows Senator D’Amato 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,” D’Amato’s 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 D’Amato’s 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.

D’Amato was not expected to land in New York until late Tuesday.


TOPICS: Society; Travel
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To: Gamecock

Why is this news?


41 posted on 01/10/2017 6:29:14 PM PST by cornelis
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To: bigdaddy45
I take it you don’t fly very often or know nothing about aerodynamics

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.

42 posted on 01/10/2017 6:32:52 PM PST by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: whistleduck
You then have not had to fly on any of the regional jets? The 60 or 70 seaters operated by all the lip service little guys flying for the main lines—real miserable little operations.

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.

43 posted on 01/10/2017 6:45:50 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: cornelis

It isn’t.

That’s why it isn’t posted in a news section.


44 posted on 01/10/2017 6:46:54 PM PST by Gamecock (Gun owner. Christian. Pro-American. Pro Law and Order. I am in the https:// basket of deplorables.)
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To: usconservative
I've traveled quite a bit in my career and been on quite a few airplanes. I've NEVER run into a situation where passengers are asked to switch seats to adjust a planes weight distribution.

You have obviously never flown Cape Air.

45 posted on 01/10/2017 6:49:44 PM PST by Labyrinthos
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo
People no longer know how to behave with quiet dignity.


46 posted on 01/10/2017 7:04:32 PM PST by Prospero (Lex est rex)
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To: publius911

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.


47 posted on 01/10/2017 7:08:32 PM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: publius911

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).


48 posted on 01/10/2017 7:10:28 PM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: bigdaddy45

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.


49 posted on 01/10/2017 7:40:52 PM PST by ichabod1 (Make America Normal Again)
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To: Gamecock

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.


50 posted on 01/10/2017 7:53:46 PM PST by gunnut
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To: WildHighlander57

“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.


51 posted on 01/10/2017 8:44:11 PM PST by BobL (In Honor of the NeverTrumpers, I declare myself as FR's first 'Imitation NeverTrumper')
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To: usconservative; FreedomPoster

You guys really had it tough???

My wife was on a flight from Oklahoma City to Chicago and was seated next to Dan Rather.


52 posted on 01/11/2017 12:35:12 AM PST by Graybeard58 (Jan 20, 2017 Rich white man evicts black family from public housing)
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To: bigdaddy45
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?

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.

53 posted on 01/11/2017 1:11:02 AM PST by cynwoody
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To: mewzilla

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?


54 posted on 01/11/2017 1:18:54 AM PST by Blue Highway
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To: Graybeard58; usconservative

< looks down, shakes head, scratches ground with toe>

I . . . I’ve got nothing, nothing that could compare to that, and you know it!


55 posted on 01/11/2017 2:24:56 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: WildHighlander57

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.


56 posted on 01/11/2017 4:59:05 AM PST by LydiaLong
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To: Graybeard58; FreedomPoster
You beat me by a country mile with that one.

Dan Rather??

That's some tough punishment. Where do I send my condolences/sympathy/get well soon card to your wife?

57 posted on 01/11/2017 8:02:50 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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