I didn’t read the article - but there are other reasons one might need their wallet. Getting someone to loan $1000 is not as easy as asking...and what rules might be violated by the request?
Would anybody complain if he had asked to be taken to get his wallet? I think not, but such a move would have cost at least as much, maybe more, depending on where the chopper was at the time. This seems outrageous because most of us do not have a helicopter at our disposal.