Australia: Passenger caught sharing ice cream charged w/ flight rage

news.com.au ^ | August 8, 2003 | Elissa Hunt

[yankeedame]

Ice cream led to flight rage

By Elissa Hunt

August 8, 2003

A MAN who caused a mid-flight ruckus after getting caught sharing his ice cream with his fiancee in economy got his just deserts yesterday.

Qantas business class passenger Geoffrey Stephen Pidgeon, 30, has been ordered to pay $500 to charity and say sorry to a steward after an air-rage incident on January 7.

The Port Melbourne man faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday on a charge of common assault on an aircraft.

Magistrate Anne Maughan heard the man's fiancee was seated four rows behind him in economy on a flight from Cairns to Melbourne.

A steward saw him sneaking his wine into economy and when the steward served ice cream he warned Mr Pidgeon not to take it into economy. But he was caught spoon-feeding his fiancee icecream in business class.

He told her to go back to her seat during meal service, as it was against airline policy for economy passengers to eat or drink food from other classes.

Mr Pidgeon then pushed the steward into the galley door, threatening to smash him through it for speaking rudely to his fiancee. He later tried to apologise for his behaviour.

The insurance company employee told police he had booked two business class seats but only one had been available. Mr Pidgeon admitted a police summary of facts through the court diversion program, which allows first-time offenders to avoid a criminal record.

Herald Sun

[Moose4]

Heh, and I bet they didn't let them take food from the salon on the Titanic down to the poor immigrants in third class, either. :)

}:-)4

[Lazamataz]

The insurance company employee told police he had booked two business class seats but only one had been available.

Let's get this straight: He booked the right seats, was denied one of them, then the air-crew threw a hissy fit when he brought his gal one treat that she was due to receive anyways?

No thanks. I'll drive.

[Ronin]

These "air rage" incidents seem to be popping up more and more these days. And, it also seems that the flight attendants are taking advantage of what was once a sensible and benign measure designed to protect them and the safety of the aircraft -- and are turning into little airborne Hitlers.

[hopespringseternal]

Let's get this straight: He booked the right seats, was denied one of them, then the air-crew threw a hissy fit when he brought his gal one treat that she was due to receive anyways?

No thanks. I'll drive.

And the twits running the airlines are blaming 9/11 for their demise. All it did was accelerate the issue.

The last time I flew (before 9/11) the flight attendents acted like they wanted cattle prods to handle the passengers.

[playball0]

Service has become extinct in air travel.

[DittoJed2]

Good grief! If he booked the right seats, the airline should dispense with "policy" and give her what was rightfully hers to begin with. Chivalry is alive (even though it's a little flawed since he sat in the good seats while she was in economy). Good for the guy.

[blau993]

Not a very passenger frinedly airline, is it.

I had this happen several years ago on a flight from Lisbon back to the states. My wife and I had booked business class tickets, but they oversold, and only one seat was left. Since I am a long-legged 6'3", my good wife volunteered to take a seat in coach and let me have the last seat up front. The Continental flight crew was wonderful. They made sure she (and her seat mate in coach, just to be polite) were served a first class meal complete with complimentary cocktails and wine (the good stuff from up front, not the crap in the little bottles). That's how you take care of situations like this.

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Phantom Lord]

When my wife and I went to London and Edinburgh on vacation and for our friends wedding 2 years ago I flew first class and she flew coach ON ANOTHER AIRLINE!!!

Now thats the way to travel.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Let's get this straight: He booked the right seats, was denied one of them...

So, when there was only one business class seat available, he took it and put his fiance in economy? Chivalry is indeed dead

[Phantom Lord]

See post 10

[StatesEnemy]

Umm... if he booked two business class seats, but there was only one available, how come he wasn't in coach?

That won't 'fly' after he's married - I can tell ya that.

[Hatteras]

"A steward saw him sneaking his wine into economy and when the steward served ice cream he warned Mr Pidgeon not to take it into economy. But he was caught spoon-feeding his fiancee icecream in business class.

He told her to go back to her seat during meal service, as it was against airline policy for economy passengers to eat or drink food from other classes."

This whole class warfare thing has got to stop. Can't we all jus' git along?

[Prodigal Son]

Mr Pidgeon then pushed the steward into the galley door, threatening to smash him through it for speaking rudely to his fiancee.

I don't know what I'd do if a stewardess spoke rudely to my wife. I'd for sure be in trouble.

[bedolido]

lol... my wife would kill me... you're a better man than I... Gunga Din!

[katana]

Not to sound like the koala in the commercials, but I hate Qantas. Their flight attendants are the worst. Of course, most of them are male and flamingly gay, so I guess having to wait on long haul passengers just brings out the b**ch. Qantas is also the one airline I've flown where the flight atendants were heard to specifically refer to coach as "cattle class".

[Texas Mom]

He booked two seats and they only got one so he took it and shipped his girlfriend to economy class.. What a peach of a guy.

[WestPacSailor]

So, when there was only one business class seat available, he took it and put his fiance in economy?

Don't worry, once they are married she'll be "putting him in economy class" whenever he pulls another stunt like that one.

[Hatteras]

...I've always questioned the intelligence of the airline industry since they continue to insist on laoding the 1st Class passengers first.