3 men were escorted from our plane yesterday

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

Yesterday we had an early morning flight from Chicago. I checked the seating availability so knew the plane had only a few empty seats. Shortly before take-off, 4 men entered. Without sounding racist, or being accused of racial profiling, all were very dark skinned and were speaking a foreign language.

The men were not able to sit together. Two were given seats in the last row, another sat directly behind my husband, while the other was a row ahead of us (a bulkhead seat) on the opposite side of the plane. When they entered, they all congregated at the row ahead of us. Two I heard speak English and each had a least 2 cell phones. When the FA asked them to take their seats, they ignored him. He also tried to put the bag of the one ahead of us in the overhead bin. He struggled with him before putting it under his seat. (there was no seat in front of him) The man behind us took his seat but the two with the seats at the back of the plane, ignored the FA again. Finally he said this was the third and last time he'd ask them to take their seats. One went to the back of the plane but one wouldn't move. An airport uniform ground agent came on the plane and removed him.

As we were taxi-ing, 2 men ahead of us said they wanted all of them removed. The captain stopped the plane, came back and discussed what that would entail. We did take off with 3 of the men onboard. During the flight, the man from the back came up at least 3 times to the man seated ahead of us. On 2 occasions he transferred cell phones among all 3 of them.

When we were preparing for landing, the FA asked the man behind us to turn off his cell phone 3 times. The same was true for the one ahead of us. Once we landed, we were asked to remain seated. About 10 minutes later, 3 men in uniform, entered the plane and removed all 3 men.

alicedee · ‎07-25-2010

If I saw all that transpire I would be the one asking to be let off the plane myself.

tends2dogs · ‎05-08-2010

@lulu2 I think I would have gotten off, but that is beside the point. I am just wondering how long of a flight it was? My nerves would have been fried.

Most likely, we will never know what it was all about.

So glad it came to nothing harmful (except nerves) for you and all involved.

Fear not Brothers and Sisters! I have read THE BOOK..........we win!!!

JudyL · ‎07-11-2010

That was scary just reading about it can't imagine what it must have been like for you and your DH!

I am still oxox · ‎03-09-2010

Scary on a recently flight, we got to the gate and were asked to wait in our seats, with in a few minutes County police, TSA and local polce entered and escorted a man from the flight, we suspect that he hassled the FA in some way or another

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

@alicedee

@tends2dogs

Not that it matters but the flight was about 2 hours. My husband and I discussed what was going on and decided, these men all went through security.

The FA and the pilot did not think these men should be removed. The 2 men who thought they should be removed were pretty obnoxious at the airport gate area. When we were called to board, they cut right in front of us then argued with the ground agent who said they needed to check 2 of their 4 large carry-ons. Never once did they say they wanted to get off the plane because they felt unsafe.

The man in front of us was seated in the middle. Neither of the passengers beside him seemed upset.

The thought never crossed our minds that we were getting off the plane. There was a huge storm coming, my husband needed to get home. We were either going to arrive on that flight, or we were not going to arrive.

We've discussed it a lot since we've been home. Truthfully there was nothing we would have done differently.