JQ removes Jon Stevens off plane for seat change

[markis10]

News could have fun with the headline, at least DJ came to the rescue:

Noiseworks After Seat Change OR Seat change INXS of allowed moves

• Stevens was on way to flood relief concert
• Cabin crew got angry when he swapped seats

ROCKER Jon Stevens was escorted by police off a Jetstar flight from Perth yesterday after a showdown with a flight steward.

The sometime INXS frontman was due to fly from Perth to Brisbane at 12.30am to perform in a Queensland flood relief concert.
In true rocker style Stevens erupted into a war of words with one of the cabin crew who chastised him for swapping from an "uncomfortable" seat.
"The steward stood there glaring at me, so I asked him why he was glaring at me," Stevens said yesterday.

Read more: Jon Stevens escorted off Jetstar flight by Federal Police | News.com.au
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[pauly7]

I consider this positive PR for Jetstar

Cannot handle him or INXS... when will they just give up?!

 

[JetLagged]

Yet another: BUT DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM - drama from a self-adulating, self-opinionated yobbo - and as for the singer .......

 

[Nigelinoz]

In true rocker style Stevens erupted into a war of words with one of the cabin crew who chastised him for swapping from an "uncomfortable" seat.

​

If everyone who flew Jetstar (or just about any airline for that matter !) did that then
most planes would never get off the ground,and I wonder how much more comfortable the seat on DJ was.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[tuapekastar]

As is often the case, we'll never truly know what transpired unless a reliable independent eyewitness provides an account - and that's unlikely.

It is, however, difficult to see how a return to gate could be triggered by something trivial.

 

[mannej]

He swapped before the plane took off without permission it seems.
I know that QF requests that seats are kept until after take off.

To me it seems that it is a case of DYKWIA, but who knows if it could have been handled better from both sides?

 

[Joshua]

I always thought it was funny how there's always one JQ pax that's too cheap to pay a few $$$ for row 1 or an exit row then complain when onboard from my experience. JQ staff are inclined to follow the procedure to the book at times. If you were the captain and had such a recalcitrant passenger before take off at 12:30 in the morning, would you want to deal with that for 4.5 hours? If he's already barking back at instructions who knows what it could descend too. Would like to see him pull that cough in the LOTFAP.

I'm sure he enjoyed his *spacious* seat on DJ some 7 hours later. But seriously, who is he? I never heard of him. And probably the crew didn't know him either.

 

[dezza]

As is often the case, we'll never truly know what transpired unless a reliable independent eyewitness provides an account - and that's unlikely.

It is, however, difficult to see how a return to gate could be triggered by something trivial.

Maybe the crew member was on a power trip? I've seen that from a few Australian based crews!

 

[VHOEJ]

Another case of DYKWIA - sounds like the crew member probably got his message across in a better way but airlines have rule for a reason. If you can't follow an instruction without answering back, fair call to remove him or else the next 4 hours would have been painful.

 

[Hvr]

JETSTAR have apologised to rocker Jon Stevens in a statement after he was “forcefully escorted” off a flight by police yesterday.

Why? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Why? Doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe a commercial decision? Cheap publicity?

Expensive to return to the gate one suspects.

 

[markis10]

Why? Doesn't make sense to me.

According to the SMH article, he had returned to his assigned seat before the exchange took place regarding the "problem", that changes the perspective somewhat on the events, and of course news left that part out!

He said the aircraft was preparing for take-off when he moved into an empty row of seats.
"The steward requested that he move back to his allocated seat, a directive that Stevens initially queried, but complied with when told that it was airline policy," the statement, issued by Stevens's management, said.
"The steward then stood there glaring at me, so I asked him why he was glaring at me," Stevens said.
"The steward replied with 'Are we going to have a problem?' and I said 'We already have a problem.'"

INXS singer Jon Stevens ejected from Jetstar flight

 

[oz_mark]

If you call it an apology:

“Safety is our number one priority and we want all of our customers to have a good experience when flying with us.

“We have guidelines we follow and our cabin crew were not confident of his willingness to follow instruction.

“We do apologise if Mr Stevens thought we were being heavy-handed.”

Anyway, in my previous life, we were taught that using words to the effect of 'is there a problem?' was just asking for trouble.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

He said the aircraft was preparing for take-off when he moved into an empty row of seats.

"The steward requested that he move back to his allocated seat, a directive that Stevens initially queried, but complied with when told that it was airline policy," the statement, issued by Stevens's management, said.

Nice bit of spin doctoring by Stevens' management but I don't buy it. Probably more a case of initially
refused the request by crew to return to his original seat but then relented.

"The steward then stood there glaring at me, so I asked him why he was glaring at me," Stevens said. "The steward replied with 'Are we going to have a problem?' and I said 'We already have a problem.'"

Well I'm not surprised why he got himself offloaded - that comment was the final nail in the coffin. I don't know an airline that would not do the same thing given that Stevens said he had a problem with with not being able to do whatever he wanted. I wouldn't want to be stuck on a 5 hour flight either as crew or as a passenger with someone displaying those 'qualities'.

Given his 24 hour ban from flying and the time of night the flight departed I would not be at all surprised if alcohol was a factor also.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Is the man a cheapskate? Can't he afford a J ticket on QF?

You only fly Deathstar if money is an issue one muses......

 

[notmensa]

I think the key line in the News article is:
"The aircraft then returned to the terminal, and Stevens was told to disembark."

This implies he got up and swapped seats while the plane was taxiing.
He's disobeyed verbal instructions from the cabin crew (prior to the plane leaving the gate) and the captain (seat belt sign).

 

[medhead]

Many here say they don't know who he is. Well I know who he is, front man for noiseworks and INXS, also Judas in Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar

I can only ask why was he even on JQ in the first place?

 

[drron]

Quite obviously the FA did not authorise the return to the gate and his removal.The Captain must have been convinced there was a problem.
Unless there is some compelling evidence to the contrary to me this is just another case of DYKWIA.

 

[NYCguy]

Many here say they don't know who he is. Well I know who he is, front man for noiseworks and INXS, also Judas in Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar

I can only ask why was he even on JQ in the first place?

I wondered the same thing.

Surely he must have quite a nest-egg? Fair enough, he's not Mick Jagger, but I'm sure he could afford a J trans-con on QF?

I've never been able to understand wealthy people who don't enjoy the trappings of their success.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I wondered the same thing.

Surely he must have quite a nest-egg? Fair enough, he's not Mick Jagger, but I'm sure he could afford a J trans-con on QF?

I've never been able to understand wealthy people who don't enjoy the trappings of their success.

Agreed, quote from Shrek " WTF is he and if he's important why is he flying JQ?"