Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale ended up in a holding area at Atlanta Airport with their “heads down and hands over your heads” as a heavily armed police tactical squad rushed down the aisle to briskly remove a passenger who had been “praying out loud in a foreign language” while his phone repeatedly issued alarm tones. “The Southwest Airlines Crew of Flight 2094 on Friday made the decision to divert to Atlanta out of an abundance of caution due to what turned out to be a misunderstanding of a Customer’s behavior,” Southwest said in a weekend statement after videos of the tense encounter went viral.
Fellow passengers thought the behavior was odd and alerted the crew, who, after about an hour, shared their concerns. Ironically, after peeling off for Atlanta and heading to the farthest corner of the airport, they had to wait about an hour for the tactical squad to arrive. It’s not clear if the passenger’s behavior continued for the duration of the event. About two hours later the passengers were on another plane headed to Fort Lauderdale and they arrived at 3 a.m., about six hours late. The FBI said there was no threat and the man in custody was released without any charges.
Yet another reason General Aviation is better than Commercial.
Mamamia. Its amazing how many people seem to need to play Karen in such situations. Almost enough monkey show and circus to ask for a entry fee. Who needs reality TV when you have such a show…
Just wow! So glad I don’t use the airlines.
Unfortunately, in this day and age and with our high alerts for domestic situations, that behavior could certainly cause suspicion. A sincere apology and attempt to later explain would be a nice conclusion. Unfortunately, way it is at the moment.
Likely a reminder to pray at one of five times a day required by his religion.
The refusal or failure to understand the perception of one’s own behavior is nothing more than narcissism. This individual, out in public, decided to do what he wanted to do, without concern for how others might perceive him or be affected. Not deciding to pray silently in one’s seat, with one’s cell phone silenced, was an arrogant display of self regard and self importance. When you behave that way, your mother usually provides a quick smack to correct the situation. In this case, his mother was not available, resulting in many being inconvenienced and costs incurred, costs this person should be made to pay. And if some issue occurred with the emergent landing, whose fault then? Your other article about a non-diversion to Churchill over an attempt at on board vaping is instructive. That captain, acting as substitute mother, reminded the child how to behave in public. Where’s Mom when we need her?
Well said. However, Mom should rightfully have released the adult long ago to his own devices. She’s likely earned her quiet retirement…
I would simply add that narcissism is flowing forth globally in this era in nearly all areas of society simply from people not realizing or accepting that Responsibility exists in equal proportion to demonstrating Freedom.
It’s a real tough nut to crack, but knowing a few Mom’s as we all do, she still probably tries to offer a nutcracker from time to time.
Chanting/Praying in a foreign language on board an American aircraft. Check
Setting your alarm to an annoyingly loud and disruptive alarm. Check
Causing a disruption and forcing the plane to divert due to rude and obnoxious behavior. Check.
This passenger’s actions were not performed in a vacuum and were done to promote the very reaction that was exhibited. This was not a Hajj flight where such behaviors are the norm. The passenger may have been adjudged a non-threat by the authorities, but that does not mitigate the fact that he should be held responsible for the financial loss and inconvenience suffered by the passengers and airline alike.
Is freedom of speech contingent on speaking in English? It seems like the only inconvenience suffered here was racism.
Substituting racism for Hitler and according to Godwin’s law, you’ve lost the argument. Not everything is racist because you believe it to be so. What was demonstrated in this instance was a profound lack of courtesy and consideration for fellow passengers. Yes Virginia, there are limits on speech and his actions might be considered the same as “yelling fire in a crowded theatre.” I’m fluent in several languages, including central Semitic, and I would not dare disturb other travelers with loud prayers and phone alarms. You’ll have to feign your “inconvenience” and racist outrage somewhere else.
Interesting. Let’s switch the language to English, a white bearded man. Now the man is understood and he’s praying to God, asking to be forgiven for his actions and praying for the souls onboard the plane that God may accept them into heaven. His phone seems to be beeping for some reason…
Do we ignore him, because we understand him or react in the same manner as above?
I am thankful you would not ‘dare disturb’, but sadly, other don’t think like you so We need to work within the context of the moment and many others do disturb at not good moments.
I read your initial post and Andrew’s response carries some weight. This comment alone “This was not a Hajj flight where such behaviors are the norm” carries some under tones. Have you been on a Hajj flight? Are they all like that? have you not been in situations where frightened people may pray out loud and if they are of color be looked at a certain way?
This article give no real facts other then he spoke a foreign language. Given that it took over an hour for the flight crew to take action, this could not be viewed as an emergency, but very much so an overreaction. “Head down, hands over your heads” from a tactical squad that took another hour after landing..is that not an over reaction to a man, speaking a foreign language with a beeping phone, instead of what could have been accomplished just by trying to communicate from the beginning? Did he have a gun? Did he threaten anyone physically? Or had he just been sitting in his seat, annoying the passengers around him.
Well, here in ‘Merica, it seems it is okay to overreact, to kill without real provocation simply because someone is “different”.
Yes, this could be looked at from a racial vantage point, but for now I’ll wait to see if we ever see a white nationalist praying out loud on an airplane and then see if there is a similar reaction.