Months and planning and then one joker...

[OhhBother]

At the airport and headed to Disney. Plane was halfway through boarding when someone made a joke about the pilot being drunk. So everyone had to deplane and we've been sitting here ever since.

Just got word the pilots have both been tested and cleared, so we're hopefully leaving soon. We may still make our connection and our Beaches and Cream ressie. Fingers crossed.

 

[mom2rtk]

UGH.

Good luck!

 

[rastahomie]

Airport security doesn't play around. You'd think people would have realized that by now.

 

[maxiesmom]

I hope the person with the big mouth wasn't allowed to fly.

 

[wilkeliza]

I hope they kicked the joker off!

We had this happen but weren't forced to deplane because we were already super delayed. Some drunk woman kept going on and on about the fact the pilots were late because they were getting drunk. Thankfully the airline knew they were late because the flight they were just on had been weather delayed. The woman did get a very strong warning that if she kept up with the nonsense talk she wouldn't be going anywhere.

 

[Flight]

Should make that person walk to Florida.

Comments from idiotic passengers joking about the pilots being drunk has little to do with security. It has a lot to do with the pilots career. Any pilot hearing they are accused of drunkeness will pull themself off a flight to submit for alcohol testing. This will take a great deal of time - if it is even available at that airport. Some airports do not have testing available and that might result in the flight being cancelled.

So fellow travelers, anyone object to the passenger that made the comment from being banned from flying forever?

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Should make that person walk to Florida.

Comments from idiotic passengers joking about the pilots being drunk has little to do with security. It has a lot to do with the pilots career. Any pilot hearing they are accused of drunkeness will pull themself off a flight to submit for alcohol testing. This will take a great deal of time - if it is even available at that airport. Some airports do not have testing available and that might result in the flight being cancelled.

So fellow travelers, anyone object to the passenger that made the comment from being banned from flying forever?

It depends. Did the "joker" see the pilots in a bar? Were the pilots joking about getting a drink?

 

[CaliTex]

Banned from flying forever? What's the punishment there? Ha ha.

One joke? One comment? Or kept repeating it? Was the passenger intoxicated? Part of a diversion? Mentally unstable? Circumstances alter cases, but yeah, this is what the flight personnel and security have to assess, and until it gets sorted, everybody will be forced to deplane. (Way to go there, Chris Rock, now everyone is inconvenienced by you because you. are. an. a$$.)

If it was one "joke", made one time, I would say that it is possibly an over-reaction by flight personnel. It would seem a simple stern caution would do. Pull him aside, speak to him, assess his condition. If the passenger was insistent, then it's a different manner. It's right up there with "jokes" about bombs, terrorism, etc. I realize that when some people are nervous and/or excited their mouth will sometimes get away from them, but these types of "jokes" simply are not funny. Flying is fairly uptight these days. Best to just keep quiet and get done with it all.

On my list of wearying things: Loud mouth obnoxious boors that think they are hilarious, especially when they have a snout full of liquid courage. World Showcase, Saturday night, drinking around the world, puking in the bushes, I'm looking at you.

OP, hope all is well with you and you make your connections ok!

 

[ArwenMarie]

How annoying.

 

[OhhBother]

We were delayed about an hour, but we made it. And we made our connection -- barely! The pilot submitted to testing and was cleared to fly. The person who made the remark was not allowed on the plane.

I felt so bad for the pilot. He got on the AV system and made an announcement explaining what was going on. He was so upset that his voice was cracking. He talked about how seriously he takes his career. Everyone gave him a round of applause when it was announced he was cleared.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I think the punishment should be that the joker gets flagged every time he flies and has to undergo at least 5 hours of TSA screening. Flying in itself is a punishment these days.

 

[DVCcurious]

This reminds me of that meth lab guy. Some people are idiots. Some things are not laughing matters.

 

[pa. dad]

Why should everyone have to deplane because some idiot makes a dumb joke? I've had to deplane on way to Chicago because some passenger made some inappropriate comments. passengers are going to say stupid things from time to time. The People that LISTEN to them and make everybody get off the plane are the ones that infuriate me. How long does it take to apply a breath test- a minute?

 

[North of Mouse]

Why should everyone have to deplane because some idiot makes a dumb joke? I've had to deplane on way to Chicago because some passenger made some inappropriate comments. passengers are going to say stupid things from time to time. The People that LISTEN to them and make everybody get off the plane are the ones that infuriate me. How long does it take to apply a breath test- a minute?

'Some' things/places, you 'never' joke!!! People should know that by now! Last time at Disney, was going through bag check same time as an elderly gentleman in wheelchair with his dw & dd.

Checker asked him to open a small lap bag - the guy says there's a bomb in there. The checker stopped, then said, 'what did you say'?? The old fellow just sort of mumbled - clearly sort of off his rocker somewhat. Checker asked dd if that was her dad - she say's yes, and he told her to give dad a good talking to, as that was a serious thing to say, and no joke. He said, I could have him arrested right here on the spot!!! Said, I'll let him go this time....Security is serious, and no joking, and I, for one, am glad!!

 

[ITALIANNYC]

Why should everyone have to deplane because some idiot makes a dumb joke? I've had to deplane on way to Chicago because some passenger made some inappropriate comments. passengers are going to say stupid things from time to time. The People that LISTEN to them and make everybody get off the plane are the ones that infuriate me. How long does it take to apply a breath test- a minute?

Because one day that dumb idiot might not be making a joke. I would rather know for a fact all is well before heading 40,000 ft above the group. If some drunk passenger said bomb, would you trust that he's lying cause he's drunk or would you take the chance and wanna take off?

For me, I wanna be off that plane till everything is checked out

 

[bumbershoot]

Airport security doesn't play around. You'd think people would have realized that by now.

They were halfway boarded. Long past security.

So fellow travelers, anyone object to the passenger that made the comment from being banned from flying forever?

I absolutely object. I have seen signs at security about not making jokes about things, but not in the plane, and not about the actions of others.

It's one thing to say they have a bomb in their bag. It's another to joke about the pilot. Heck, the way those (usually) guys slur and "uhhhhhhhhhh" their way through their announcements on the PA it would be a decent explanation to find out they were drinking. They are aware that we can almost never understand a word they say, right?

 

[Kaytie]

I absolutely object. I have seen signs at security about not making jokes about things, but not in the plane, and not about the actions of others.

Yeah, the airline industry relies on 50+ years of common sense and the very reasonable expectation that passengers know how serious a drunk crew member would be - and that the passengers know better than to joke about something that could cost someone their career.

 

[Flight]

'Some' things/places, you 'never' joke!!! People should know that by now!

Exactly! We do not need signs on the airplane saying, "Please not make stupid remarks about the pilots being drunk."

This is a very serious accusation directed at an airline pilot. Licenses can and have been taken away by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) even when a pilot was not involved in drinking.

 

[DekrRini]

They were halfway boarded. Long past security.



I absolutely object. I have seen signs at security about not making jokes about things, but not in the plane, and not about the actions of others.

It's one thing to say they have a bomb in their bag. It's another to joke about the pilot. Heck, the way those (usually) guys slur and "uhhhhhhhhhh" their way through their announcements on the PA it would be a decent explanation to find out they were drinking. They are aware that we can almost never understand a word they say, right?

Interesting. I've been flying for years and have never had trouble understanding the pilot when he's making the announcements over the PA.

Banned for life? That's probably a bit extreme, but the 'joker' should definitely face some sort of fairly harsh consequences for making a comment that could cost someone his career. An accusation like that is incredibly thoughtless, disrespectful, and not remotely amusing. And frankly, common sense should tell a person that making an accusation of pilot drunkeness would be almost as bad as comments about guns and bombs and the punishment almost as harsh.

 

[Plaid Princess]

Comments from idiotic passengers joking about the pilots being drunk has little to do with security. It has a lot to do with the pilots career. Any pilot hearing they are accused of drunkenness will pull themselves off a flight to submit for alcohol testing. This will take a great deal of time - if it is even available at that airport. Some airports do not have testing available and that might result in the flight being cancelled.

This! It's like joking that a surgeon is drunk right before he preforms surgery: it's a serious and potentially career ending accusation. It's never a joke.

Why should everyone have to deplane because some idiot makes a dumb joke? I've had to deplane on way to Chicago because some passenger made some inappropriate comments. passengers are going to say stupid things from time to time. The People that LISTEN to them and make everybody get off the plane are the ones that infuriate me. How long does it take to apply a breath test- a minute?

They would deplane the aircraft because airlines face fines if passengers are left sitting on-board too long, and passengers cannot be on an aircraft without a crew for security reasons. The pilot would have to go to a certified testing facility, which may or may not be in close proximity to the airport. Let me answer your question with a question: do you really want Airline personnel to ignore comments from passengers because they "might be kidding"?

Interesting. I've been flying for years and have never had trouble understanding the pilot when he's making the announcements over the PA.

Yeah, me either. Maybe he's thinking of SNL sketches?

Banned for life? That's probably a bit extreme, but the 'joker' should definitely face some sort of fairly harsh consequences for making a comment that could cost someone his career. An accusation like that is incredibly thoughtless, disrespectful, and not remotely amusing. And frankly, common sense should tell a person that making an accusation of pilot drunkeness would be almost as bad as comments about guns and bombs and the punishment almost as harsh.

I wouldn't say it's extreme at all. The joker risked a persons livelihood for a few cheap laughs. Not only is it disrespectful to the Captain, but it likely cost the airline a fair bit of money in re-bookings for missed connections, fuel for restarting the aircraft after deplaning, etc.

The person who made the remark was not allowed on the plane.

Good.

I felt so bad for the pilot. He got on the AV system and made an announcement explaining what was going on. He was so upset that his voice was cracking. He talked about how seriously he takes his career. Everyone gave him a round of applause when it was announced he was cleared.

I'm glad the sane passengers gave him an appropriate show of support. It's just cruel to jeopardize someones livelihood with a tasteless joke.