Man chased flight attendant who refused him crackers, court told

[Fuzzman]

I read this story today in the Irish Times but just realized it happen last June.
Does it normally take that long for it to be heard?
Seems unreal how much fuss the guy caused just cos he seemed to be a bit crazy about not getting his way.

Was also wondering when they say they had to dump all that fuel so they can land safely I presume, do they just dump it in the sea or where?

An American man accused of endangering the safety of a transatlantic flight chased a flight attendant up the aisle after she refused to serve him cheese and crackers, a court has heard.
The head flight attendant on the United Airlines Boeing 777 claimed Jeremiah Mathis Thede was "agitated" and demanded to know the name of the colleague who had not given him the snacks.
Sheila Wire, the purser in charge of the flight crew, said later in the flight Mr Thede also allegedly threatened a fellow passenger who had told her Mr Thede had placed a potential "trip hazard" - a discarded food tray - in the path of attendants walking backwards down the aisle.
The airliner, carrying 264 passengers, was en route from Rome to Chicago on June 20th last year when the captain made the decision to touch down at Belfast International Airport after concerns were raised about Mr Thede's behaviour by cabin crew and other passengers.
Mr Thede (42), a Californian, denies a charge of endangering an aircraft or persons in the aircraft.
Ms Wire, who has 43 years' service with United, was the first witness called as the trial began at Antrim Crown Court.
She told the court how she had to brief four other male passengers to prepare themselves in case Mr Thede had to be physically subdued.
In the event, police officers removed him from the flight when it touched down in Northern Ireland.
Ms Wire described how she was first alerted to a problem in the economy section between 30 and 45 minutes into the flight.
Rushing towards her
She said she arrived to see attendant Lisa Hall rushing toward her, with Mr Thede following her.
"I just saw this look on her face, she was stunned," said Ms Wire.
Ms Wire said Mr Thede, from Berkeley, had a pad and pen in his hands and was repeatedly saying "I want her name."
After directing Ms Hall to go to the cockpit, Ms Wire said she tried to establish what had happened from Mr Thede.
"He responded that he went to the back, he wanted cheese and crackers, and 'that lady wouldn't give them to me'," she told the judge.
"I stood there waiting for more information but it was just that - that was really the basis of what was happening at that minute.
"I remember standing there taking a very deep breath and I remember in my mind thinking 'This is over cheese and crackers?'."
Mr Thede, dressed in a light grey suit and white shirt, sat in the dock listening as the purser gave evidence to the jury. He has been on bail in Northern Ireland awaiting trial since last June.
Ms Wire claimed that at other points in the flight, Mr Thede was getting up and down from his seat and opening and shutting the overhead bins when the seatbelt signs were on, and refused to sit down when warned.
Numerous complaints
She said his behaviour prompted numerous complaints from other passengers.
"One said, 'What is United Airlines doing to ensure my family and I are safe?'," she said.
"I remember that as a direct quote."
Ms Wire said she warned Mr Thede that the flight might have to be diverted if his behaviour continued.
"He looked at me and said 'Are you done yet?'," she told the court.
It has been claimed the plane had to dump thousands of litres of fuel before making the unscheduled stop.
As the crew would have exceeded their legal flying hours if the aircraft had resumed the journey straight away, the passengers were forced to wait almost 24 hours before the plane could take off again, with many having to sleep on the terminal floor.
The trial continues.

You would imagine nowadays they would have better ways to deal with this sort of stuff.

The telegraph in the UK ran this version of the story last year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11691641/Airline-passengers-erratic-behaviour-and-demand-for-nuts-caused-flight-diversion.html

[AZOffaly]

I read this story today in the Irish Times but just realized it happen last June.
Does it normally take that long for it to be heard?
Seems unreal how much fuss the guy caused just cos he seemed to be a bit crazy about not getting his way.

Was also wondering when they say they had to dump all that fuel so they can land safely I presume, do they just dump it in the sea or where?

An American man accused of endangering the safety of a transatlantic flight chased a flight attendant up the aisle after she refused to serve him cheese and crackers, a court has heard.
The head flight attendant on the United Airlines Boeing 777 claimed Jeremiah Mathis Thede was "agitated" and demanded to know the name of the colleague who had not given him the snacks.
Sheila Wire, the purser in charge of the flight crew, said later in the flight Mr Thede also allegedly threatened a fellow passenger who had told her Mr Thede had placed a potential "trip hazard" - a discarded food tray - in the path of attendants walking backwards down the aisle.
The airliner, carrying 264 passengers, was en route from Rome to Chicago on June 20th last year when the captain made the decision to touch down at Belfast International Airport after concerns were raised about Mr Thede's behaviour by cabin crew and other passengers.
Mr Thede (42), a Californian, denies a charge of endangering an aircraft or persons in the aircraft.
Ms Wire, who has 43 years' service with United, was the first witness called as the trial began at Antrim Crown Court.
She told the court how she had to brief four other male passengers to prepare themselves in case Mr Thede had to be physically subdued.
In the event, police officers removed him from the flight when it touched down in Northern Ireland.
Ms Wire described how she was first alerted to a problem in the economy section between 30 and 45 minutes into the flight.
Rushing towards her
She said she arrived to see attendant Lisa Hall rushing toward her, with Mr Thede following her.
"I just saw this look on her face, she was stunned," said Ms Wire.
Ms Wire said Mr Thede, from Berkeley, had a pad and pen in his hands and was repeatedly saying "I want her name."
After directing Ms Hall to go to the cockpit, Ms Wire said she tried to establish what had happened from Mr Thede.
"He responded that he went to the back, he wanted cheese and crackers, and 'that lady wouldn't give them to me'," she told the judge.
"I stood there waiting for more information but it was just that - that was really the basis of what was happening at that minute.
"I remember standing there taking a very deep breath and I remember in my mind thinking 'This is over cheese and crackers?'."
Mr Thede, dressed in a light grey suit and white shirt, sat in the dock listening as the purser gave evidence to the jury. He has been on bail in Northern Ireland awaiting trial since last June.
Ms Wire claimed that at other points in the flight, Mr Thede was getting up and down from his seat and opening and shutting the overhead bins when the seatbelt signs were on, and refused to sit down when warned.
Numerous complaints
She said his behaviour prompted numerous complaints from other passengers.
"One said, 'What is United Airlines doing to ensure my family and I are safe?'," she said.
"I remember that as a direct quote."
Ms Wire said she warned Mr Thede that the flight might have to be diverted if his behaviour continued.
"He looked at me and said 'Are you done yet?'," she told the court.
It has been claimed the plane had to dump thousands of litres of fuel before making the unscheduled stop.
As the crew would have exceeded their legal flying hours if the aircraft had resumed the journey straight away, the passengers were forced to wait almost 24 hours before the plane could take off again, with many having to sleep on the terminal floor.
The trial continues.

You would imagine nowadays they would have better ways to deal with this sort of stuff.

The telegraph in the UK ran this version of the story last year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11691641/Airline-passengers-erratic-behaviour-and-demand-for-nuts-caused-flight-diversion.html

Yeah, open the door and let the bollox walk.

[J70]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

[mikehunt]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

[J70]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

[mikehunt]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

[Fuzzman]

MikeH I think one thing led to another
They don't say but I'd imagine they did give him loads of nuts and crackers but at that stage the man was nuts and was just looking for a fight with the air crew.

It does seem OTT to me that they always have to land and get the passenger off the place asap. I mean yes if he gets violent and threatens the safety of the passengers but it doesn't sound like that's what happened here.

Should some of the online crew be allowed to use a taser gun and handcuff the guy somewhere.
You could see loads of psycho guys try this now to disturb air travel.

Why can't the case be heard in the US where he lives?

[mikehunt]

MikeH I think one thing led to another
They don't say but I'd imagine they did give him loads of nuts and crackers but at that stage the man was nuts and was just looking for a fight with the air crew.

It does seem OTT to me that they always have to land and get the passenger off the place asap. I mean yes if he gets violent and threatens the safety of the passengers but it doesn't sound like that's what happened here.

Should some of the online crew be allowed to use a taser gun and handcuff the guy somewhere.
You could see loads of psycho guys try this now to disturb air travel.

Why can't the case be heard in the US where he lives?

Yeah they must have given him those Ritz biscuits, enough to send any man over the edge.

[armaghniac]

The EU, the US & Canada etc need to get together for a no fly list for people acting the bollix on planes. There would be less mickeying around if they guy had to to back to the US on a boat, at his own cost.

[J70]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

[Tony Baloney]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

Which didn't happen so see options a) and b).

[J70]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

Which didn't happen so see options a) and b).

So the flight attendant was supposed to have foreknowledge that this neanderthal would escalate his conduct to the point that the pilot felt they had to divert?

Sure maybe we should all go to the galley the second the flight levels off and tell the attendants to drop everything and dig out the crackers and cheese because we're feeling a little peckish!

Unless you've been asleep, its common knowledge by now that threatening, disruptive behaviour on a flight will end up in a diversion and serious trouble for the offender.

[muppet]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

Which didn't happen so see options a) and b).

So the flight attendant was supposed to have foreknowledge that this neanderthal would escalate his conduct to the point that the pilot felt they had to divert?

Sure maybe we should all go to the galley the second the flight levels off and tell the attendants to drop everything and dig out the crackers and cheese because we're feeling a little peckish!

Unless you've been asleep, its common knowledge by now that threatening, disruptive behaviour on a flight will end up in a diversion and serious trouble for the offender.

Amazing that people don't seem to know this.

[Tony Baloney]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

Which didn't happen so see options a) and b).

So the flight attendant was supposed to have foreknowledge that this neanderthal would escalate his conduct to the point that the pilot felt they had to divert?

Sure maybe we should all go to the galley the second the flight levels off and tell the attendants to drop everything and dig out the crackers and cheese because we're feeling a little peckish!

Unless you've been asleep, its common knowledge by now that threatening, disruptive behaviour on a flight will end up in a diversion and serious trouble for the offender.

Amazing that people don't seem to know this.

So on a flight with a few hundred people a few lads couldn't put this fella back in his box? The mind boggles.

[muppet]

The fuel dissipates and vapourizes before it hits the ground.

As for this moron, I'd imagine the pilot decided that it wasn't worth taking a chance heading out over the ocean with him if was getting that abusive, confrontational and attempting to trip up flight attendants over cheese and crackers. Hope they make the f**ker pay some serious costs and ban him from flying.

Why didn't they just give him the cheese and crackers?

Maybe they were tending to something more urgent?

Maybe the seatbelt light was still on?

Maybe they were about to start the snack service and didn't want individuals coming to the galley.

Who cares?

Not getting his treat shouldn't mean throwing a tantrum like a toddler, threatening fellow passengers and trying to endanger people using the aisle.

A simple request leads to all this palavar. It hasn't been mentioned why he didn't get the cheese and crackers. You have 2 choices, give him the cheese and crackers or refuse to give them to him, divert the plane, dump a load of fuel, ruin people's travel plans and have a day out in court.

How about a third choice? You accept what the flight attendant says and sit down and wait like a normal, decent, human being.

Which didn't happen so see options a) and b).

So the flight attendant was supposed to have foreknowledge that this neanderthal would escalate his conduct to the point that the pilot felt they had to divert?

Sure maybe we should all go to the galley the second the flight levels off and tell the attendants to drop everything and dig out the crackers and cheese because we're feeling a little peckish!

Unless you've been asleep, its common knowledge by now that threatening, disruptive behaviour on a flight will end up in a diversion and serious trouble for the offender.

Amazing that people don't seem to know this.

So on a flight with a few hundred people a few lads couldn't put this fella back in his box? The mind boggles.

If they failed and subsequently the man caused serious damage to someone or the aircraft, the Captain might have been joining the dole queue.