Row over bag of nuts costs airline $715,000

[Hvr]

Row over bag of nuts costs airline $715,000
An Airliner was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Northern Ireland at a cost of up to £350,000 ($715,000) because an unruly passenger was demanding some nuts.


The United Airlines plane, which was en route from Rome to Chicago on Saturday evening, landed in Belfast when the pilot grew alarmed at the passenger's behaviour.

...




A policeman from Belfast International Airport Constabulary told the court the trouble began when Mr Thede allegedly stood up 15 minutes after take-off, with the seat belt lights still on, and demanded "nuts or crackers".

...

The policeman said Thede retorted: "I can have as much nuts and crackers as I f------ want."

...

The defendant was remanded in custody to appear before magistrates next week. The police opposed bail, saying there was a risk he could abscond.

Another cough who will hopefully never fly again and have to pay a huge amount of money to compensate the airline and its pax.

 

[Mattg]

This is just bizarre. Interestingly the article doesn't mention what class of travel this guy was in.

Also, did anyone notice that the photo they used is of a United plane in Canberra?

 

[TomVexille]

I wonder how long it's going to take for an airline to really go after a passenger in court that disrupts a flight like this?

And when a prosecutor decides it's worth their time?

 

[muppet]

..... compensate the airline .....

Why?

Just last week United dumped a plane load of pax at a random airport... why can't a pax dump United at a random airport?

 

[dajop]

Sounds to me that this guy has serious mental health issues, not just a run of the mill DYKWIA. Like the many people we have all seen from time to time on trains and trams ranting over one thing or another (or am I the only one who has seen this on public transport?)

Also we don't have the full story. It sounds like the problem started 15 mins after take off, yet turn back wasn't until over the Atlantic. Rome to the Atlantic is some hours. Wonder what else was said/done in between. It doesn't seem to be just about the nuts.

 

[Anna]

Sounds to me like he's both nuts and crackers.

 

[Quickstatus]

Maybe airlines should learn from KA about bag of nuts. Bag of nuts there caused a passenger to go nuts.

 

[Foreigner]

Maybe it started innocently in him cracking jokes about his nuts.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Maybe it started innocently in him cracking jokes about his nuts.

One nut short of a Sundae?

 

[Mattg]

These puns are driving me nuts...

 

[TheRealTMA]

These puns are driving me nuts...

It gets worse... So Much Pun - nuts - Visual Puns and Jokes - funny puns - Cheezburger

 

[seanpodge]

This is just bizarre. Interestingly the article doesn't mention what class of travel this guy was in.

Don't see why it's relevant to the story, really.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The estimated cost of the diversion seem rather high. They dumped 50,000 litres of fuel, passengers slept on the floor. $715,000?

 

[dajop]

The estimated cost of the diversion seem rather high. They dumped 50,000 litres of fuel, passengers slept on the floor. $715,000?

That's about $2650 per passenger !

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The estimated cost of the diversion seem rather high. They dumped 50,000 litres of fuel, passengers slept on the floor. $715,000?

New crew?
$1000++ per hour sitting on the ground in airport fees?
New fuel?
New catering?
Landing fees
Emergency assistance fees?
Fleet disruption
Compensation
Insurance issues
Over time payments

I would hate to own an airline seems like a huge money pit when things go wrong.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

New crew?
$1000++ per hour sitting on the ground in airport fees?
New fuel?
New catering?
Landing fees
Emergency assistance fees?
Fleet disruption
Compensation
Insurance issues
Over time payments

I would hate to own an airline seems like a huge money pit when things go wrong.

Agree all those can be factors... but aircraft routinely divert every day of the week for all sorts of reasons... in the US weather diversions are common. I'm quite sure it doesn't cost $715,000 to divert a plane.

But looking at the issues here - rough and ready...dumping 50,000 litres of fuel, which they presumably had to replace... even if it's $1.50 a litre - that's $75,000. 24 hours sitting on the ground? Another $24K. The passengers slept on the floor, the crew had a hotel... so only another few thousand there. Even if they had to pay EU compensation of 600 euros per passenger (and I wonder) that's $250K. Catering and other stuff... another few thousand. That leaves Overtime for the crew? Well if that costs ~$300K for 24 hours - no wonder QF is complaining about costs!! :shock:

 

[samh004]

Why?

Just last week United dumped a plane load of pax at a random airport... why can't a pax dump United at a random airport?

I do think you have a point, each should be as accountable as the other... in a perfect world.

Until then disrupting a plane and causing a diversion will yield very little, so don't expect to be looked after if the weather turns bad at a foreign port