4 ms·

I've been on two flights now that have had to divert due to a passenger causing issues and in both cases there was no marshal onboard, just the flight attendant

I've been on two flights now that have had to divert due to a passenger causing issues and in both cases there was no marshal onboard, just the flight attendants and some good passengers. To me it seems the air marshals we have now are just in it for the free vacations. If airlines want their own security they should be able to employ their own in flight guards. And doesn't needing air marshals prove that TSA is a joke?

x3n0ph3n3 4y ago
> And doesn't needing air marshals prove that TSA is a joke? The TSA _is_ a joke, but this is not evidence of that. It's typically to have multiple layers of security in case any of them fail.
0cf8612b2e1e 4y ago
That is some truly trash luck. I have wondered what kind of punishment is likely for someone who ends up diverting a flight.
- throwaway5959 4y ago
  From what I understand they can never fly on that airline again and given how few airlines there are now (and probably fewer in the future) that probably sucks. And I’m totally OK with that.
- throwaway09223 4y ago
  If a flight diverts, there are good odds that the offender will be criminally prosecuted under 49 U.S. Code § 46504. Big penalties. Looks like getting a few years in prison isn't uncommon for fairly moderate physical interactions (spitting, pushing).
  - dsfyu404ed 4y ago
    Presumably most of these people are normal members of society with, ya know, shit the feds can just take. So I presume most people lawyer up, plead down to guilty with ton of fines and the feds go on their merry way happy to have enforced the law in a way that's cashflow positive (i.e. basically the same situation as tax prosecution).
    - whythre 4y ago
      Or, ya know, maybe having to divert planes because of drunk and disorderly passengers is a giant waste of time and resources. That costliness is why it is heavily punished. It isn’t the same as a drunk stumbling in a gutter and passing out.
    - 0cf8612b2e1e 4y ago
      The fact these people act out on a plane causes me to evaluate them as non-normal. We’re all on this human cattle car together. Shut up and stay quiet for four hours. The videos I have seen (likely not representative) the passengers were given several opportunities to behave before the extreme measures were taken.
- dawnerd 4y ago
  The one caused us to divert to a some airforce base, I'm guessing that guy had a great night... Both cases were just drunks not knowing how to act in public, and oddly both were on flights to Orlando.

x3n0ph3n3 4y ago

> And doesn't needing air marshals prove that TSA is a joke? The TSA _is_ a joke, but this is not evidence of that. It's typically to have multiple layers of security in case any of them fail.

0cf8612b2e1e 4y ago

That is some truly trash luck. I have wondered what kind of punishment is likely for someone who ends up diverting a flight.

throwaway5959 4y ago
From what I understand they can never fly on that airline again and given how few airlines there are now (and probably fewer in the future) that probably sucks. And I’m totally OK with that.
throwaway09223 4y ago
If a flight diverts, there are good odds that the offender will be criminally prosecuted under 49 U.S. Code § 46504. Big penalties. Looks like getting a few years in prison isn't uncommon for fairly moderate physical interactions (spitting, pushing).
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  Presumably most of these people are normal members of society with, ya know, shit the feds can just take. So I presume most people lawyer up, plead down to guilty with ton of fines and the feds go on their merry way happy to have enforced the law in a way that's cashflow positive (i.e. basically the same situation as tax prosecution).
  - whythre 4y ago
    Or, ya know, maybe having to divert planes because of drunk and disorderly passengers is a giant waste of time and resources. That costliness is why it is heavily punished. It isn’t the same as a drunk stumbling in a gutter and passing out.
  - 0cf8612b2e1e 4y ago
    The fact these people act out on a plane causes me to evaluate them as non-normal. We’re all on this human cattle car together. Shut up and stay quiet for four hours. The videos I have seen (likely not representative) the passengers were given several opportunities to behave before the extreme measures were taken.
dawnerd 4y ago
The one caused us to divert to a some airforce base, I'm guessing that guy had a great night... Both cases were just drunks not knowing how to act in public, and oddly both were on flights to Orlando.