The Department of Justice has taken the rare step of issuing a press release on the complex legal future that awaits a California man who told his fellow passengers "This plane is going down" before going on a violent in-flight rampage last week. The DOJ said Charles Angel Salva, 30, is facing charges of interference with flight crew after he allegedly tried to choke a flight attendant and kicked another repeatedly in the shins. The incident occurred on a Frontier Airlines flight from John Wayne Airport to San Francisco Sept. 9.
If EVER there was a case that required making an example of the perp, THIS is it! Put him in the crowbar hotel and throw away the key and then advertise it. Of course, some psychiatrist will say heās nuts and requires rehabilitation I think it may be time for FFA crews to start carrying Byrnas and maybe tasers?
āOf course, some psychiatrist will say heās nutsā¦ā I donāt think thereās any doubt about that, surely (even if only ātemporarilyā)? Whilst Iām happy to leave punishment (or whatever) up to people who are paid to make such decisions (hopefully they are well-qualified and sufficiently experienced to make them), I canāt help but think there needs to be a better way for flight crews to deal with this sort of thing - that seem becoming more and more common. A way that is quick, decisive and effective and that protects everyone; aircraft, crew, pax and loon alikeā¦
I like the duct tape thing. Itās more effective than plastic zip ties and you can cover their mouth with it too. It also hurts a lot more when itās removed.
Charles Angel Salvaās violent outburst on a flight mirrors a rising trend in unruly passenger behavior seen in 2021. That year, the FAA recorded 5,973 incidents, driven by conflicts over COVID-19 mask mandates and political tensions, especially following the January 6 Capitol riots. This spike in aggressive behavior made flights more dangerous and led to stricter enforcement policies.
Given these risks, following Larry S.ās suggestion might be a good option: allowing flight attendants to āopen carryā stun guns for added protection!
One article I read mentioned he had used ecstasy before the flight. If true, it reminds me of the recent incident with the co-pilot and his āmagic mushroomā induced troubles. Maybe we need āNo Drugsā signs next to the āNo Smokingā ones? It took a few decades, but the message of the latter signs seem to have finally gotten through to the unwashed masses.
Flight crews do not want to have to learn hand-to-hand combat in order to do their jobs! A possible solution would be to have at least one security person on every flight, but this would be expensive and the airlines do not want to give up the seats on crowded flights. Many unruly passengers are people who are already drunk when they get to the airport. Why do we then provide them with opportunities to get even more intoxicated by selling them alcohol in the terminal and even on the plane? The answer is simple, the airports and airlines make money on selling booze at the expense of sober passengers. FAA needs to prohibit alcohols sales in the terminal and on planes!
Why not have one seat on every flight set up for hospital-type restraints. This does not solve the problem of getting the offender under control in the first place, but, at least it would provide a place to put him or her after the fool was restrained.
Have you ever watched police arrest videos? It can take as many as three or more trained, experienced police officers to control one resisting suspect. My law enforcement friends tell me that many injuries to officers occur in these struggles and some are disabling. Even people who do not appear very big or strong can be very hard to overcome. In the ābad old daysā officers used choke holds, batons, saps and even guns to end the struggle but those methods are now banned. Pepper spray cannot be used in an aircraft cabin because it will quickly effect everyone. How much training would a 120 lb. flight attendant need to be able to restrain a much bigger, aggressive and deranged passenger in close confines? Would you want that job?
This is the very reason why every airline passenger should always armed something on their person that can easily pass through TSA security and be used as a weapon if needed: i.e. Roll of quarters, a satchel of coins, sharp pencil, 12 inch hardwood carving, tactical pen, metal flashlight, etc. If the flight crew canāt control the unruly passenger, then you can step in and adjust it accordingly.
Their should a law that has different levels of seriousness and punishments for people that cause disruptions or danger to a flight crew, passengers or flight operations. The FAA needs to make people understand that there are serious consequences. Punishment could start with 1 year on the āNo Fly Listā all the way up to a lifetime on the āNo Fly Listā plus jail time and fines.
I am told that what is used to de-escalate drug crazed people is to put them in a soft walled room coloured bubblegum hot pink. While it may be cost prohibitive to line all interior panels with 3/4 inch of foam the āhot pinkā colour solution might be just whatās needed. It could be applied using poster paint which is water soluble and could easily be removed as times change. While this colour selection may offend some folks it will probably put the nutbars in a comatose state for the duration of the flight. At this point it would be rather easy to apply the duct tape.
Stun guns are a possible solution to restrain a drug-crazed, drunk or mentally-ill passenger with less danger to the flight attendants. Stunning the passenger first would make it easier to secure them with duct tape. A Taser would allow the flight attendant to be farther away but the consequences of missing and hitting another passenger might offset that benefit.
An estimate by AI (4o) suggests that around 0.5% to 3% of passengers on any given flight could potentially pose a risk for disruptive behavior. This could stem from alcohol consumption, substance use, or heightened stress and anxiety.
For example, on a flight with 200 passengers, you might encounter:
1 to 6 individuals who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
1 to 2 experiencing anxiety or general frustration.
Maybe 1 or 2 āKarensā or āKevinsā in the mix.
Although these percentages are relatively low, it only takes one disruptive passenger to turn an otherwise smooth flight into a troubled situation.
I think it may be time for FFA crews to start carrying Byrnas and maybe tasers?