Posted on 11/21/2005 8:11:40 AM PST by aculeus
A French woman has admitted attempting to open an aeroplane door mid-flight so that she could smoke a cigarette.
Sandrine Helene Sellies, 34, who has a fear of flying, had drunk alcohol and taken sleeping tablets ahead of the flight from Hong Kong to Brisbane.
She was seen on the Cathay Pacific plane walking towards a door with an unlit cigarette and a lighter.
She then began tampering with the emergency exit until she was stopped by a flight attendant.
Defence lawyer Helen Shilton said her client had no memory of what had happened on the flight on Saturday, and that she had a history of sleepwalking.
She pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft at Brisbane Magistrates Court and was given a 12-month A$1,000 (£429) good behaviour bond - she will forfeit the money if she commits another offence.
The French tourist was at the start of a three-week holiday in Australia with her husband.
© BBC MMV
Just learned this word on a different thread:
flibbertigibbet.
flibbertigibbet n : a female fool [syn: foolish woman]
How fitting for her.
She is a flake.
They should just install a screen door.
Maybe they had one of those "Soker's Outposts" out on the wing.
Drunks get mnore people killed than terrorism, I'll bet.
And they call Americans stupid and arrogant.
Rough way to start off the old 'vay-K'
But-- she was only going outside on the sidewalk to smoke.
"Thank You For Not Smoking"
That's one of those words that's more difficult to say than its definition. ;-)
I always sit in the emergency row when I fly. I always wanted to ask if it was possible to open the door while the plane was in flight but I was afraid it might alarm the flight attendant if I asked.
What's the problem with letting passengers step out onto the porch for a smoke? It's like were living in a nanny state these days..
LOL.
My mom was so addicted to smoking that she would go to the smoking room in the assisted living home towing her oxygen tank behind her. She also smoked in her room which was of course absolutely forbidden.
I don't know, (both my parents were heavy smokers, but for some reason I NEVER smoked) but, it seems like smoking is as addictive as heroin.
Is it just me, or did she just receive A$ 1000?
I don't know about heroin but I quit smoking cigarettes 5 months ago and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't crave a cigarette.
It's just you. The way I read it, she put up a bond of 1000 to make sure she behaves and never does this again. She gets the money back, if she stays on good behavior.
Oh, oops, I missed the 'bond' part.
Thanks for the clarification!
It's impossible. It's a "plug" type hatch, held in place by the aircraft's cabin pressurization.
And, please, if you're making a habit of sitting by it, study its features, fixtures and fittings in case you are ever required to operate it.
It just might save your life one day! And the lives of all of the others who, if the need arises'll depend upon your knowing what to do. [Check there is no fire outside, operate the handle, pull the plug toward you, turn it through 90 vertical degrees and 90 sideways and throw it out the hatch, before following it out]
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