Said one passenger, quoted in "Delta passengers and crew subdue off-duty flight attendant on Atlanta-bound flight" (CNN). Newsweek quotes the pilot saying: "We'd like all strong males to come to the front of the aircraft to handle a problem passenger."
That's what happens in a true emergency, even today, with all our aspirations of gender equality. A passenger went wild and threatened to bring down the plane, and the standard of who must act now was: "all strong males." And just about all the men stepped up.
We do understand that, however much we minimize discussion of that aspect of reality. Thanks to the men.
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7 comments:
werowand writes:
>the man was "dressed quite oddly," wearing a helmet, with elbow and knee pads.<
OK, help me out here: Isn't that tantamount to carrying a sign around your neck saying, "I'm crazy so maybe I shouldn't be on a plane that's about to take off."? If I'm the captain of that plane, that guy is going to have a long talk with Federal Air Marshals before he goes flying with me.
Temujin writes:
"Yes, when males are going off crazy and threatening to kill everyone, you want strong males there- with a similar temperament, the ability to take action, and the strength to pull it off. I hope the Secretary of Defense reads your blog."
The pilot's call to action is kind of a trick. He's saying if you remain seated and you're a male, you are saying you are weak.
Joe writes:
Full marks to the males on the Delta flight for responding. I believe that 20 years after 9/11 there remains a heightened awareness among airline passengers that, in the event of hijacking or violence, you must be ready to pitch in and help, even at risk to yourself.
I should also add that hearing the captain request 'able-bodied males' to assist, and seeing other guys stand up, the social pressure on the remaining men to also stand up would be enormous. I hope that I would have responded if I were in such a situation.
Mary Beth writes:
That's the second Delta flight originating in LA that had a passenger who needed to be subdued this month. That could just be bad luck for Delta, but this time it was an off duty flight attendant who was causing the ruckus.
From the CNN article: "Curlee said other passengers later described the man as "very chaotic, very weird" and "very incoherent." A passenger sitting next to the man told Curlee "he felt very uncomfortable with the guy" who asked "a lot of very personal questions" such as his name and the spelling. The passenger told Curlee the man wrote a note to the flight attendant accusing him of being a hijacker.
Curlee said he was told the man was "dressed quite oddly," wearing a helmet, with elbow and knee pads."
Having the misfortune of an odd passenger getting on to the plane is one thing. This guy being a flight attendant, someone you would count on in an emergency, makes me question the safety of flying Delta.
Mary Beth adds: "I thought it was the second Delta flight out of LA this month that was diverted because of an unruly passenger. I was wrong, it was the third."
3John2 writes: "I can walk, but have issues with my legs. As a result, though, I carry a cane: it’s a little over an inch thick, solid hickory, and 36” long. In an environment of very limited weapons, the cane can be an effective peace-maker. I would definitely be limping my way to the front if need be."
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