A passenger flying Delta from Atlanta to Tokyo Haneda was seated in business class with her 15-month-old on her lap. Her best friend, traveling with a 20-month-old, was in the suite behind her. There was an older man across the aisle. He had a diabetic special meal and six or seven glasses of wine in the first few hours of the flight.
About halfway through the trip the mom got up to change her toddler’s diaper. As she stepped into the aisle she felt a hand touch her backside. She glanced toward the man, assumed it was accidental, and continued to the restroom.
On returning she asked her husband to take her seat with the baby so she could use the lavatory herself. When she got back she found her husband pale and shaken. He asked, “How long has he been like that?”
She looked over: the man’s suite door was open, he wore only a T-shirt – with his genitals were fully exposed.
Immediately she notified a flight attendant, who came back three or four times over the next hour, scolding him and ordering him to dress. He ignored them, was reportedly drunk, and…gripping himself.
That’s when a crewmember threatened to divert to Alaska and have him arrested. He agreed to put on his pants. They were in the overhead bin. The husband demanded that he get taken into custody. Crew completed paperwork but hinted that the man had… high SkyMiles status. They explained he’s a “frequent flier who’s never caused problems.”
Coffee was served to “sober him up,” and the crew’s tone toward him became cordial again. Ultimately he deplaned normally in Tokyo with no police waiting. Delta later sent the woman a “wellness” email and a case number, saying the matter was confidential and already “handled.”
She feels that “trust us” is inadequate. The man apologized to crew but never to her. So she and her husband submitted an FBI tip form once they were on the ground. A flight attendant recorded video of the man on her phone, but she did not.
It seems like the man was trying to get comfy on a long haul flight, unlike these passengers who spent their time watching inflight porn. He was drunk and had very bad judgment. Maybe Delta shouldn’t have cut pajamas as a business class amenity?
(HT: Richard)
Delta is ready when you are…
I don’t see where the man exposed himself TO anybody. He merely had his penis hanging out. That’s bad but far less bad.
The husband and wife need to get a grip though. Pale at the sight of a penis? Have they never traveled to the Castro or Mission districts of SF, or the Broadway/Lafayette subway platform in NY?
Also, babies and toddlers shouldn’t be flying business class.
What the ‘ell??
1).Why did the crew give the idiot so many drinks in the first place?
2).Glad the couple filed a report.
3).”“”Crew completed paperwork but hinted that the man had… high SkyMiles status. ” -Whaaaaat??
So he’s a “high SkyMiles” status jack-ass yet he doesn’t deserve any form of punishment from DL?
That is NOT acceptable……EVER!
Delta wouldn’t want to disaccommodate a high level elite just for acting in a criminal fashion with strong sexual implications. No doubt they’ll offer the victims 10,000 Skymiles as compensation.
Assuming that he was diabetic because of the diabetic meal, I wonder how the wine affected him. The multiple glasses of wine are a no no for a diabetic. Alcoholic drinks can cause the liver to not control blood glucose correctly and produce hypoglycemia. I have had hypoglycemia before and it can reduce the ability to understand the outside world as it did with me.
Ambien and booze do not mix.
In every state, it is ILLEGAL to serve someone an alcoholic beverage who shows signs of intoxication. It’s one thing if someone gets drunk by over-indulging in an airport bar or lounge — the responsibility for that rests on the server (or the lounge manager if it’s a self-serve setup). When it happens onboard, the responsibility lies with the FA serving the passenger.
Clearly the passenger also bears some responsibility. I’m not talking about his actions toward the toddler, or the removal of his clothes; that is solely his responsibility. But having 6-7 glasses of wine as a diabetic is begging for trouble and is irresponsible on the part of the passenger and, again, on the part of the FA serving him.
I would have repeatedly damaged his private area, which is my second choice since they don’t have woodchippers on planes.
I think this story is BS.
There is no question that this “exposer” would have been arrested on arrival. His lawyer could explain to the judge about his medical condition.
It the story is true, and Delta’s response was as reported, Shame on Delta. It’s amazing what people get away with since 2015.
“He ignored them, was reportedly drunk, and…gripping himself.” I agree with Greg, a Pilot would be there in an instant, a blanket draped down. Touching a person in a situation like that is at least an ‘assault’, a criminal action in all states, ‘… even the slightest touch.’ “Drunk” isn’t a defense, either, quote the contrary. Delta FA’s are trained to spot, deal with ‘over-serving’, they would definite not serve “six or seven” drinks. Urban legend, war story, whatever, didn’t happen! Not even a plausible war story, at that.
I call BS. No video, no proof.
Possibly because the crew gave him so much booze they’d be called into account if he was taken into custody. but he should have been taken into custody. If he was a DL 360 (or whatever their top invite only status level is called) that should not mattered a bit.
Not sure about this tale, surely there were others around that saw especially when he was drawing attention to himself and his parts. High miles or no if true should have faced legal penalties.
The crew undoubtedly did document what happened and DL would be required to testify to what was recorded if the family decided to file suit against the man. If the family thinks an apology from the man makes a difference in whether they file a criminal complaint, then they should convey that to their lawyer.
The man did comply with crew instructions which was why there was no need to divert or arrest him on arrival.
Dragging the man’s name through the courts will “expose” his behavior; if they want money and is a high status DL passenger, he will probably settle.
No where in the article does it state who did the drink count. Was he “over served”? (Still his responsibility) it does not mention him being “under the influence “ until he exposed himself. Maybe he is just a perv who to avoid jail is trying to shift blame.
Just close the door and put a blanket over him. He is not groping anyone.
If I were sitting across the aisle from him, I wouldn’t want to divert to Alaska. I would just close my door.
The guy is not even in economy class where there are seatmates.
It is weird that people are bringing up the diabetes, because having a bottle and a half of wine, at altitude, after whatever he drank in the lounge, is plenty to affect his mental state. It’s not a medical condition to get drunk easier because of diabetes any more than it is because you are a petite woman. And just like drunk drivers are still responsible, so is he.
I also wonder what kind of world people live in to claim the story is BS just because he wasn’t arrested or that he is not “supposed” to be served that much. How innocent to live in a world where you think all wrongdoing is punished and people don’t break the rules. I know I have personally been served 5+ drinks in the first hour and a half of an international J flight and have probably hit 8-10 in the first 3 on occasion (but I was somehow able to sit quietly and not assault anyone).
@Tim Dunn “when the crew asked him to stop sexually assaulting a fellow passenger, he did. Why would we arrest him for a crime he stopped committing?”
Only 1 adult on the plan, the victim!
He was “gripping himself”….. What ever happened to the days when you could just say the freaky guy was whacking off?
“High SkyMiles status” is flight attendant code-speak for the Delta Air Lines passenger high.
“High SkyMiles status” is flight attendant code-speak for the Delta Air Lines passenger is high.