The TSA turned 10 this week, but with age does not come wisdom. Once again, the agency has earned another infamous nomination in our Icarus Award―this time for improper contact with Jersey Shore cast member Jenni “JWOWW” Farley. See if this fist-pumping caper stands a chance against lawsuits, a pilot trapped in the lavatory, and a cheapskate airline in our weekly Icarus Awards.
The Case of the Krona Crook
It’s hard to get good service when you fly these days. Airlines nickle and dime you about when you board, your seat, a drink and a meal. Perhaps, one might consider Icelandair passenger Torry Johnson a modern-day Robin Hood. Johnson robbed about $300 from an Icelandair crew member’s handbag. After being confronted by the flight crew, Johnson returned a handful of krona and then locked himself in the bathroom where he is believed to have flushed the rest of the money. Massachusetts State Police met the flight when it landed in Boston Logan International Airport and arrested Johnson.
Tickets, Tickets, Everywhere But Not a Drop to Drink
Adam J. Levitt, a frequent Southwest Airlines Business Select passenger, came up dry and decided to sue. The Chicago resident has in his possession 45 free alcoholic drink tickets from the airline that have now been deemed worthless after a policy change. Instead of drowning his sorrows at a local bar, Levitt went straight to court. Levitt and his lawyer argue that the nonredeemable gift certificates are a breach of contract. Levitt is not just thinking about his useless drink tickets but of the unquenched thirst of Southwest customers nationwide. In his suit, he seeks class-action status for all Southwest customers with unredeemed drink tickets. Southwest has released a statement that officials are reviewing the litigation but are not offering further comments.
credit: Facebook Page Jenni "J-Woww" Farley
Fist Pump to Pat Down
JWOWW took to her Twitter account to complain that the TSA singled her out for a pat down. Normally not one to be modest about her enhanced assets, Jenni complained on Twitter that the TSA’s treatment of her in Fargo, North Dakota, at the Hector International Airport left her feeling like she had been “treated like a criminal.” In her Twitter rant, Farley mentioned that she travels twice a week but has never been subject to such a pat down. Perhaps, there was more civilized touching earlier in the night at her appearance at Fargo nightclub The Hub.
Bathroom Blunder
After a jammed bathroom door lead to a terror scare, a Chatauqua Airline’s pilot is making the headlines for getting locked in the bathroom of his own plane. With his co-pilot at the controls, the pilot decided to use the restroom prior to landing at New York’s Laguardia airport. The door jammed and suddenly the pilot began banging on the door. Unfortunately, a man with “a thick Middle Eastern” accent came to the rescue and went to alert the co-pilot, who became alarmed by the misplaced pilot and the strong accent. The pilot broke free from his lavatory bonds before the situation escalated. On the ground in New York, the plane was met by the police, who quickly cleared the incident of foul play.
Pay Up or Get Off the Plane
Austrian-based Comtel Air made no friends this week when it went broke in the middle of a flight. While most flights were canceled, a plane already bound from India to England made a refueling stop in Vienna and asked passengers to chip in or get off. The plane sat on the runway for 6 hours in a standoff between passengers and crew. Officials were called in to escort the livid travelers off the aircraft…and over to an ATM where they could withdraw enough money to cover the fuel costs, which totaled roughly $31,500.
One Fee too Many won last week’s Icarus Award. Check out past winners in our Icarus Award section. And vote here for this week’s most worthy contender:
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by Lily J. Kosner for Petergreenberg.com
Related links: Business Week, Gawker, Huffington Post, Gothamist, Huffington Post
