Posted on 12/20/2005 4:08:06 PM PST by truthandlife
A dispute that involved the wife of Houston's most famous pastor, Joel Osteen, and a Continental Airlines flight attendant ended up delaying a flight for hours Monday. And now, Victoria Osteen's actions on that flight are in the spotlight. Also on ABC13.com: Send us a news tip | RSS feeds | ABC13 E-lert | Info mentioned on air Statements from Lakewood and Continental Following the incident on Continental flight 1602 Monday, both Lakewood Church and Continental Airlines released these statements. The Osteens run the largest church in the nation, so passengers on a Continental flight were shocked Monday when Mrs. Osteen was removed from that flight after a disturbance.
Taking time off from the high profile hustle and bustle of running a mega-church, Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen and his family boarded Continental flight 1602 Monday morning at Houston's big airport. They were bound for the slopes in Colorado.
Their trip was delayed and so was the entire flight by almost two hours. Fellow passengers blame the popular Osteens, specifically Joel's wife, Victoria.
According to passenger accounts, the Osteens were sitting in first class. Soon after the plane's door was closed, the FBI says Victoria Osteen was removed following what Continental would call only a disturbance. The Osteens' spokesman confirms it involved a flight attendant, but that's all. However, one passenger tells Eyewitness News she was alerted to the front of the plane when she heard a commotion.
"She violently ran towards the cockpit, scaring everyone around her," said passenger Knicky Van Slyke. "Everyone was terrified about what was going on. And a bunch of flight attendants ran up and had to restrain her. She was banging on the door."
"Of the cockpit?" we asked.
"Yes."
Passengers say Victoria was removed first. Joel and the children followed. Meantime, everyone waited.
"They unloaded all the luggage to get their luggage and deplaned her, Joel, and the kids," said passenger Dawn Dixon.
Passenger Chad Clay said, "They kept telling us they were waiting on some passengers to find their luggage underneath in the plane, and it was going to be delayed for looking for that luggage."
According to the Transportation Security Administration, federal air marshals were never involved. Local authorities also know nothing of this event. Continental would not discuss details.
The Osteens' spokesman denies a physical altercation, denies Victoria ever banged on the cockpit door, and says she left on her own.
"The account of the event which has come to our attention is inaccurate and overblown. The misunderstanding was minor and was resolved when Victoria voluntarily removed herself from the situation," read the statement.
The FBI says it was not voluntary. Though agents are not investigating, they will review the incident as the Osteens enjoy their Colorado vacation.
The Osteens' spokesman says they took another flight to Colorado Monday.
Nobody has been charged. As for the FBI's involvement, we're told it's standard procedure for them to review all passenger removal incidents. According to Continental, this one is a closed case.
Pastor Joel Osteen preaches to an average of 40,000 people a week at Lakewood Church services. Lakewood opened in the former home of the Rockets, Compaq Center, back in July. It took $90 million and a year and a half of renovations. Osteen's ministry is taped and aired around the world.
I'm sure the FAA will bless her....
I wonder if his mega $ church is open Christmas day?
Is there a picture of them not smiling????
Part of my responsibility as a Christian is not to act like this. I suspect this was more related to flying anxiety.
She just had attitude," the unnamed passenger said of Victoria Osteen. "They took her off, and she never came back. Her husband went out, then he came back and got their stuff. An hour-and-a-half later, we were leaving."
They got wiped out so it's hard to say what they believed. It's a bit like Nostradamus. Stuff just appears that is attributed to him.
Another a-hole texan skier. (That's a New Mexico joke, so don't get yer chaps in a twist pardners.)
Second only to the a-hole Californians who move in and stay, huh?
As best I can tell, she spilled the drink. Then she freaked, probably over instructions. I guess she is not used to following instructions. They should be using a private jet.
Don't get me started... We try to get them to keep moving east, but they start circling Santa Fe like big dumb moths. :)
No wonder you weren't happy. The class wasn't about you.
How does one run violently towards a cockpit door from First Class?
Banging on the door and such. I bet the pilots freaked.
I'm a CHristian and I've ALWAYS had a "problem" with pastors who are WEALTHY. I can't believe the worshipers can get so caught up in the "cult of personality" and continue to give their money to this guy, seeing how he is wallowing in the money.
I cannot believe they CHARGE MONEY for folks to attend their traveling ministries. Why isn't it sponsored by a "mission fund" provided by that giant church?
Does the Billy Graham Crusade charge admission?
Heheheh
Pilot: Who is banging on the door?
Stew: A dolled up blonde is trying to get in.
Co-pilot: This happens to me all the time.
That is how churches get to be this BIG...they stop teaching God's WORD and actually dilute their sermons to this lukewarm "soup" of "happy feel-good, I'm ok, you're ok." Also the church starts operating as a giant health-club, community theater, etc. That is where their "ministry money" goes.
Oh yeah, you don't remember? The serial-killer who eluded capture for over 30 years, continued living in the same community all those years(Kansas). B=Bind, T=Torture, K=Kill, BTK. When exposed, he was working as Ordinance Control for the city/county, a law enforcement related profession.
Then he was very involved with his church and had worked his way to the top echelon in the church heirarchy. Woah! I may have to take back my remark about "knowing what's going on" in smaller churches. His church was a modest church in size.
Santa's more believable? Seems that you live in a fantasy world and a reality check maybe in order. What then did you ask Santa for this year? To keep you safe from a terrorist attack for 'one day' or do you just take that for granted?
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