Posted on 10/06/2012 12:57:50 PM PDT by naturalman1975
TERRIFIED passengers thought they were going to die in a mid-air nightmare after a passenger aboard a Sydney-bound flight threatened: "I hope you have life insurance".
Fearing he would storm the cockpit, a group of passengers aboard told how they kept a constant watch as the man attempted on four separate occasions to enter the toilet at the front of the plane.
"It was the scariest thing ever," said traveller Daniel Schwerdtfeger.
"He eye-balled me from behind the curtain and ran his finger across his neck suggesting he was going to kill me."
A stewardess, taunted and abused during the flight from hell, was secretly told by the captain he was aware of the trouble and was flying at maximum speed to Sydney - and authorities were to intervene on touch-down.
Moments after the Tiger Flight from Coolangatta landed on Wednesday evening, armed federal police raided the plane and arrested 39-year-old Scott Norman Laughlin from Newport.
AFP officers took the man into custody as the plane landed. Charged with offensive and disorderly behaviour, he appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday and was bailed to reappear this Wednesday.
"When the police pulled him off the plane he was yelling out to them 'you f ... ... c ... .' and 'f ... ... pigs'," Mr Schwerdtfeger, from the Gold Coast, said. "It was terrifying."
Mr Schwerdtfeger said he and other male passengers kept watch on the passenger to ensure he did not attempt to enter the cockpit.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
I'm glad they did this - and not being there, maybe it was the best call to not risk inflaming the situation further, it's easy to judge from a distance in hindsight - but I would have wanted to actively restrain him.
Sounds like Romney should’a been there to defenestrate him.
That's when you give him the old "eyes watching you" hand gesture. Man up.
U R ALL RONG! Even the nuts out there understand that death is not an option so they only go so far.
“It was the scariest thing ever,” said traveller Daniel Schwerdtfeger.
“He eye-balled me from behind the curtain and ran his finger across his neck suggesting he was going to kill me.”
That’s when I would have went up and kicked the sh** out of him.
Oh really.....and how do you know that sir?
Loss of cabin air pressure!
The period of terror would have been shortened considerably had the passengers kicked the crap out of him and then tied him up. I suggest the airline stock zip ties.
I would have been more than happy to participate. Anyone attempting to interfere with the operation of an airliner is guilty of attempted mass murder and should be treated accordingly.
yes....I have offend wondered, would the flight deck turn up the cabin elevation to say 12,000 feet that would slow down the aggression..after 8000 ft, people slow down quickly...
Some slow down dramatically at 5000 feet.
(Obscure presidential debate reference.)
Is your name not Bruce then?
The guys body would act as a plug.
I agree -- and have advocated that for years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What's that you say, mister terrorist?"
"The one around your neck is too tight?"
"Ooops! Looks like these ties only go one direction..."
'-}
Standard cabin pressure is 8000 ft. 15000 will put you at a deficit in 20 minutes with minimum physical activity. Above 20000 you need oxygen fairly quickly to avoid passing out.
Gotta love the Aussies. But if it had been an American flight, he would have been subdied, bound and secured in a seat facing backward, the seat belt cinched to keep him there, causing him great pain if necessary. We owe the passengers and crew on Flight 93 to follow their example.
Passengers were a bunch of wimps. A few years ago, a passenger tried a stunt on a Southwest plane. Authorities removed the body when the plane landed.
“That’s when you give him the old “eyes watching you” hand gesture. Man up. “
That’s when you give him the “I’m gonna cut your nuts off” gesture.
'-}
And there aren't any knives in the cabin to cut them off:)
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