Delta flight 69 from Seattle to Taipei diverted to Anchorage on March 14 to remove a passenger who called a flight attendant the N-word.
- After meal service on the Airbus A350, when a flight attendant was eating in the galley near the lavatory, the passenger allegedly forcefully grabbed the crewmember’s shoulder to get his attention and asked whether the bathroom was occupied.
- The flight attendant said the lock indicator showed it was occupied, turned back to his meal, but the man kept making disrespectful comments. He then used the lavatory, came out, and restarted the argument
- The passenger claims that the flight attendant spoke to him “in a dismissive manner,” and later “responded in a similarly disrespectful manner.”
- He used ‘the N-word’ toward that attendant, and said he was only being treated poorly because he was white, and then threatened to kick the attendant’s ass when the plane landed.
According to a second flight attendant, the confrontation got hot enough that passengers moved toward the galley to try to calm it down. That crewmember notified the cockpit of a level two disturbance, then escalated it to level three, retrieved restraints, stepped between the men, and repeatedly told the passenger to return to his seat.
There’s disagreement over whether the passenger actually took a swing at the flight attendant. Initial reporting on the incident said yes. The FBI affidavit says no. The second cabin crew member says the passenger took a swing but missed. One relief pilot said he saw the passenger lunge. There’s passenger video that doesn’t appear to have circulated in social media that the FBI reviewed, and it did not show any of this.
Once crew escalated to level three, the cockpit had to be locked. The plane was overweight with fuel. They landed, the passenger was removed, arrested, booked into Anchorage Correctional Complex, and charged under 49 U.S.C. § 46504, interference with flight crew. Passengers described the man as drunk. After two hours on the ground the flight continued to Taipei.. still with the moniker 69.
Parenthetically, I never know quite how to handle ‘the N-word’ for reasons expressed in The Newsroom.
(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
So it sounds like the flight was diverted due to passenger behavior, not just the “N” word. I don’t think the flight would have been diverted if 2 black people were calling each other that word.
@Michael Mainello — On the words one should not say at someone while on an airplane, agreed, “N” with the hard-“r”, probably not enough, but still not-cool; on the other hand, the “B” word (not the ‘-itch’ one, you know which one…) yikes, automatic no-fly-list.
@1990 – Biden?
Not straying too much into politics, I read that yesterday in Virginia a district that went for 6.8% Winsom-Sears went for over 25% margin for the Republican. Maybe folks are getting upset about being misled by Spanberger. Long way to go.
The passenger deserves to be banned from flying. Whether or not he used the N word seems irrelevant. No question he caused a needless disturbance and delayed hundreds of other travelers.
Some flight attendants definitely need an “attitude adjustment”. Thanks Hank Jr!
This passenger probably lives in Asia long enough to feel comfortable using N word. Because in Asia, nobody gives a damn about N word. The freedom of speech in Asia is way broader than you can have in America.
@Creditian — Bahahaha. No. Not at all. Tiananmen. Tibet. Taiwan. Say those in mainland China, and you’ll see how ‘free’ speech is over there…
This guy made an ass out of himself the minute he claimed racism. So sick of people doing this when they don’t get their way. There is true racism out there…but it doesn’t sound like this was that.
@Retard – Creditian is obviously not talking about politically-oriented speech adversarial to the Chinese government, you twat. He is referring to political correctness. A sizable percentage of American-born people of East Asian decent, for example, are far more easily offended by so many different things that wouldn’t remotely begin to phase a Chinese or Japanese native.
Let the moron off in AS and tell said moron that he can get to Taipei other than flying. On permanent No Fly List.
What a twonk. Hopefully, Delta bans him from flying…
@Mike Hunt — So, the n-word (hard-r) is merely a ‘political correctness’ issue now? I donno man. I wouldn’t go around shouting that at people on the streets of NYC, much less Dallas, or anywhere. You may be ‘free’ to say it, as-in, our government likely won’t charge you with a crime, but there are still societal consequences (like, it’s not gonna go over well… and, it may insight some to violence against you; employers could fire you, etc.)
Let’s contrast this with actual joking, satire, parody, etc. Recall the 2014 Comedy Central faux pas of their social media team posting an out-of-context Colbert Report’s lampoon of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder with the “Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.” Within the context of a comedy show, sure, that was somewhat in poor taste, but this DL69 incident was not that, at all.
In an age where there is the ability to record video anywhere, there is no video of this incident. That makes me wonder if it really happened or if it happened but not the way described. I understand that video usually leaves out the initial parts but some is usually better than none.
The fact that there is a word that shall not be spoken by anyone except a specific race, in a country that supposedly has freedom of speech and equal rights, is ridiculous. What about all the other ethnic slurs? There’s literally A-Z words we could ban. Then we could move on to other words to ban because they might hurt someone’s feelings.
There’s only one word for that: retarded. Glad we at least got that one back.
@jns — Is that really your go-to each time? ‘Pics (or vid) or it didn’t happen…’
@Mantis — Since you’re in that neighborhood these days, any ‘hot-takes’ on Iran, and whether China will go for Taiwan while we’re preoccupied? @Mike Hunt, feel free to chime-in, bud.
@retard
China, and all other bad actors, are much less likely to make a move now that they’ve seen powerful, capable and decisive action by the US, first in Venezuela and then Iran. Despots only respect strength, when they smell weakness they pounce. No more reset buttons, apology tours, pallets of cash etc from weak Obama and Biden that emboldened bad actors worldwide.
We’re not distracted, we’re making the world a safer place, and doing the dirty work for those ungrateful Europeans, yet again, who depend on ME stability much more than we do. We’re also sending a message to china, NK, and Russia. FAFO. China won’t move on Taiwan until another weak Dem comes into power and gives it away.
@1990 – 2 oil sources have been cut off for China. However the commander in chief put out an olive branch to China if they want to assist with the Strait of H defense. So I don’t think China will. It is great to see woman liberated in Iran and hilarious to see libs support the theocracy.
@Mantis, @Michael Mainello — Fellas, I hope you’re right, because that’d be WW3 (US v. China). I don’t buy into the anti-Democrat, anti-EU stuff, but if Xi is deterred by this, and if the ME becomes more free and stable after this, then that would be great. However, it’s clearly not there yet, and appears to be escalating further (recent attacks on LNG in allied GCCs). So, anyway, Cuba next? Is that the idea?
@Mantis as a Venezuelan I say.. You are always on point! much needed balance to refresh the heavy commie load of the many retards. And thanks again to all of you who voted Republican, hence for our Freedom.. FINALLY!
@BBK — Your freedom? Yes, Maduro is out (which is objectively good for most people), but it’s not like the colectivos aren’t still the enforcers on-the-ground down there; that’s not ‘freedom’ yet. And while Delcy seems compliant… that’s for now. We’ll see how that ends up in the long-term. Your thoughts on Cuba next?
How do you handle the N word? The same way I handle it when someone calls me a redneck: be a bigger man, ignore it and move on.
to DFWSteve
Agree!
Never lower yourself to a mental midget’s level by engaging in responses to their mindless rants