Man hanged (himself) on BA flight (ECONOMY CLASS ALERT)

The Sun ^ | January 7, 2002 | GRAHAM DIGGINES

[MadIvan]

A MAN hanged himself on a British Airways jet after calmly tucking into a last in-flight meal and quaffing champagne.

The middle-aged passenger strangled himself in the club class lavatories of a Los Angeles-bound Jumbo Jet which had taken off from Heathrow.

Staff raised the alarm after they realised the toilet had been locked for half an hour.

And passengers looked on in horror as a doctor vainly battled to save the man’s life after cabin crew broke down the door.

The man had looped his belt over a lavatory handle to make a noose before hanging himself.

A frantic call was made over the Boeing 747’s public address system to try to find a doctor among the 349 passengers.

One passenger said: “It was absolutely horrific. There was a commotion around the toilet then this poor chap was hauled out and placed on an empty seat.

“It was clear that nothing at all could be done for him. At first everyone thought he had been taken ill.

“But it was even more distressing to find out he had taken his life.”

A spokeswoman for British Airways said: “We can confirm that a male passenger died on flight BA269.

“We extend our sympathies to his family.”

The man is believed to have been from Switzerland, but he was not named last night.

[MadIvan]

I just came back to London flying British Airways. I have to say that I can understand why flying BA would cause someone to commit suicide - Coach class seats keep getting smaller, baggage handling is atrocious, and the food...well it can remove your desire to live, apparently. ;)

The excuses for delays are getting ever more lame - my plane was held in a pattern for 20 minutes due to a - no joke - dead fox on the runway. Then when we did land, the jet was doing circles on the runway until somehow we found a place to disembark.

It's not just BA, I should say. Most airlines treat their passengers like cattle. This bloke went a little far in making his point (if that was his point), but he had a point. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[tet68]

Please do not operate the appliance while train is in station.

Over the handle of the lav, what the guy was a midget?

Isn't there a joke about this somewhere........

A guy gets to heaven, saint Peter asks him.......

[Miss Marple]

The excuses for delays are getting ever more lame - my plane was held in a pattern for 20 minutes due to a - no joke - dead fox on the runway. Then when we did land, the jet was doing circles on the runway until somehow we found a place to disembark.

Now, Ivan, if fox hunting were not so frowned upon, that poor fox would probably not have died of natural causes out on the runway.

[JZoback]

I'll done my share of flying, not lately though.

Just how does one hang yourself in a airline bathroom?

I can barely get in and sit down, let alone hang one self from a handle.

I don't get it.

[Happygal]

OMG!!! I read the title of this, and having gotten the text from you earlier this evening, I thought it could have been you!!! *L*

~phew~

Don't do that to a girl!!! :-)

[MadIvan]

Now, Ivan, if fox hunting were not so frowned upon, that poor fox would probably not have died of natural causes out on the runway.

Actually it got run over by a previous jet, but the point is well taken anyway. I am fully in favour of fox hunting. After this delay, I am in a mood to do it using a grenade launcher. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[tet68]

Maybe he was standing on his head.

Now it's morning!

[MadIvan]

Just how does one hang yourself in a airline bathroom?

I'm having trouble figuring that out myself. It does say he did it in a Business Class bathroom - a coat hook perhaps?

Regards, Ivan

[tracer]

You can hang yourself in a lavatory -- but if you tamper with, damage, disable, or destroy a smoke detector you'll be in deep doo-doo...........

[Petronski]

I'd have bet anything it would have been Southwest: The Sky Ghetto™

Remember their slogan, "Abandon all hope ye who fly here."

[SamAdams76]

[MadIvan]

Surely you can't be serious. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[SamAdams76]

I am serious and stop calling me Shirley!

[Doohickey]

Fly BMI's "New Economy" next time. :)

[red-dawg]

Maybe he was a Muslim from Poland and misunderstood the concept of suicide airplane attack.

OR

He didn't read the fine print on the "flight insurance" form he bought for one Euro in the terminal.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Just watch- now we will have to put our belts and shoelaces in checked baggage...

[sushiman]

" just came back to London flying British Airways. I have to say that I can understand why flying BA would cause someone to commit suicide - Coach class seats keep getting smaller, baggage handling is atrocious, and the food...well it can remove your desire to live, apparently. ;) "

I used to fly over to the UK a lot back in the late 70's and early 80's , and was always impressed with BA's service , professionalism and courteousness . The food hasn't changed it seems !

Where are you in London may I ask ?

Sushiman

[mountaineer]

I know exactly how he felt. The time, 1987. The place, a flight from Munich to St. Louis, seated behind two whiney, fat, fussy, obnoxious children and their equally obnoxious parents.

[Eala]

Coach class seats keep getting smaller, baggage handling is atrocious, and the food...well it can remove your desire to live, apparently. ;)

Between conditions in steerage on international flights and airport "security" (the personnel seem to be getting better but the regulations more stupid), I'm considering a job change for one that involves NO travel at all. For a really long flight, such as San Francisco to Sydney, well, my sympathy's with the suicide -- his dealings with airline travel is over: Requiescat In Pace, and, er, Happy Landings!".

And I WILL NOT FLY BRITISH AIRWAYS again until they dump that gawdawful offensive video with the queer human-form pirouettes. (If they've dropped it already, please tell me.) To have to see that, hour after hour, is more than mortal man should have to endure.