It’s time for our weekly roundup of travel failures. Of course, we have the latest updates on Clayton Osbon and JetBlue Flight 191, but he’s not the only Icarus nominee. Nor is he the only nominee to be restrained midair. There’s madness up in the sky as well as several high profile TSA incidents on the ground. Check out this week’s five nominees and vote for the wackiest.
Vegas or Bust
On Tuesday, JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon was locked out of the cockpit of his own plane after a disturbing meltdown that involved rants about Jesus, al-Qaida, Iran and on-board bombs. Mid-psychotic break, Osbon threatened to crash the plane rather than fly to sin-filled Las Vegas, the scheduled route for New York based Flight 191. Six passengers were selected to restrain Osbon with seatbelt extenders until the plane made an emergency stop in Amarillo, Texas. On Wednesday, the U.S. attorney in Amarillo, Texas charged Osbon with interfering with a flight crew, which comes with up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. JetBlue has noted that Osbon, who is currently receiving medical treatment, has been suspended pending an investigation.
The black box has been released to the FBI, who is also investigating the incident, but that is all you will hear from the plane’s crew, who decided on Friday to decline all media opportunities to be with their families. Though the crew is keeping mum, almost everyone associated with Osbon, the passengers or the crew has been sharing their stories. Friends of Osbon noted that despite the fact Osbon had lost his own father, who had also been a pilot, in a small plane crash back in 1995, he appeared to be in good mental health.
Miami Crossfire
On Tuesday night, Jeffery Piccolella and Nicholas Anthony Puccio, two Florida TSA officers were charged with criminal mischief and use of a firearm while under the influence. The men were caught at the Hotel Shelly in Miami Beach shooting a gun from their second story window. There were no human casualties, but the hotel room was trashed and a stray bullet pierced the hurricane-resistant window of the neighboring Barney’s New York. The TSA noted that the men were part-time officers who were not in Miami Beach on TSA business.
Off-Duty Supervisor
Bryant Jermaine Livingston seems to work as a supervisor on for the TSA and off duty in another way. Following a similar incident in 2009, the Dulles International Airport TSA manager was arrested for allegedly running a prostitution ring in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland. A manager recognized him as frequently entertaining groups of males and females in his room, so he called the Montgomery County Police for help evicting Livingston on February 15. Even thought 11 people were found in various states of undress, Livingston initially denied prostitution and claimed he was throwing a swinger’s party that he advertised on Craigslist. One alleged swinger blew his cover when he admitted that he paid $100 to enter the room and participate in the event. No longer employed by the TSA, Livingston is due in court in May for five counts relating to prostitution.
Unchecked Weapons
This week a 5-inch pocket knife became a viral star on social media site Reddit. User Sambojomo uploaded a picture of a 5-inch knife in the lavatory of the flight. In the comments, the user noted that he or she didn’t intentionally bring the weapon on board the plane and had forgotten to check the knife. Sambojomo further clarified that the picture was from an international flight where he or she had an X-ray scan, a manual inspect and had cleared customs.
Afraid to Fly, Not Afraid to Drink
Peggy Albedhady-Sanchez alleged fear of flying go the better of her this week. On board a U.S. Airways flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Fort Myers, Florida, passengers saw Albedhady-Sanchez spit in the face of the flight crew, claw and scratch at the crew, kick them and knock one flight attendant to the ground. Passengers report a flight attendant was seen bruised and bandaged and an armrest was broken in the fray. The cause of the outburst? According to investigators, it all started when she was denied another drink, though previously she had said she was afraid to fly. An off duty Florida sheriff’s deputy happened to be on board and was able to control the woman and restrain her in the back of the plane. Police and paramedics met the flight and Albedhady-Sanchez has since been charged with battery and interfering with an aircraft.
Long Layover won last week’s Icarus Award. See all the winners and losers in our Icarus Award section and vote for this week’s nominee.
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By Lily J. Kosner for PeterGreenberg.com
Related Links: Huffington Post, MSNBC, New York Daily News, Fox News, Miami Herald, Boston Herald, Daily Mail
