"Airline" Condones Drunk-Driving

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:35 pm

I was just watching A&E Airline and a passenger was kicked off an airplane because of his activities on the airplane were not polite and was found out by Southwest crew he had been drinking and denied boarding well the crew of "Airline" followed him to the car and let him drive away. He was drunk and before he left he mooned the crew. I am surprised that the film crew of "Airline did not suggest for him to take cab. I think this shows that "Airline" is just trying to video tape people in their not so great times and willing to not help stand-up and take some common-sense and advise the person to take a taxi.

EMBQA · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:39 pm

Yup......that was teh first thought that went through my mind.

haveric · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:40 pm

I had the exact same thought myself. How could the cameraman just let him drive away??

727LOVER · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:43 pm

Well, ya know, they might have edited the part where they asked him.

But just curious,

HOW DO YOU KNOW HE WAS DRUNK???

I mean LEGALLY.

nicedream · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:46 pm

Probably because he wasn't really that drunk. IMO he definitely should have been able to fly, unless there was something crazy that they didn't show on camera. The guy was 100% cooperative and all smiles from what I saw.

I know I would have much rather flow with him than that gospel choir. Hey guys, there's a time and a place for your songs, and it's NOT in an airplane!

emiratesa345 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:53 pm

Nicedream, I agree about the gospel group. I was just commenting in the chat how I would have walked up there and told them to shut the hell up. Firstly, because like you said, and airplane is no place for what they were doing. Secondly, because they were horrible!

I noticed this as well.

EmiratesA345 Smile/happy/getting dizzy

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:56 pm

Well buddy he mooned the camera and the southwest agent found the slurpie cup and smelled and sensed liquor and he was denied boarding to sit on an airplane and just sit there but he can operate a car at night.

He was going to Las Vegas what do you expect.

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:57 pm

ya i agree i feel sorry for the other passengers.

jeffrey1970 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:58 pm

I loved the Gospel choir. I love to see people that excited about flying who have never flown before.

God bless through Jesus,

Jeff

syncmaster · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:01 pm

Will you guys lay off of the Gospel Choir, if you don't want to hear them, first of all don't watch the show, and if you're flying and don't want to hear them then don't fly WN, no one makes you, there are PLENTY of other options.

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:02 pm

OMG, if I was on the flight I would have asked them to be quiet.

What was with that lady who wanted a certain person of the airplane because he had no I.D.
Take a chill pill

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:06 pm

But why should all the other passengers be sugjected their singing. I mean how would you feel If a a group of death medal singers started singing their songs on a plane I bet you would be upset.

syncmaster · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:11 pm

It would probably bother me, but what I'm saying is that on Southwest I would expect something like that, they are well known for things like that.

YoungDon · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:16 pm

The guy really wasn't all that drunk imo, but he still shouldn't have been allowed to just drive off. If the crew didn't check to see how drunk he was, they should have.

People singing and making noise on airplanes... that's what earplugs are for. If you have a problem with that, invest in some and get a pillow and go to sleep. I just don't see the point of complaining about something when you know WN will probably pull something like that. You get what you pay for, if you want quiet, go fly United.

That was one paranoid lady, lol. I would have liked to see the guy she was talking about...

Flyer732 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:18 pm

Legally, it is against FAR's to transport anyone who is thought to be under the influence. So if you went to the bar and had a beer or two, I could deny you boarding.

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:21 pm

Ha I know what you are saying, You get what you pay for. Not like the good old days. We will never know how drunk he was but, the ground crew for Southwest thought he was to drunk to fly with them and made a big deal of pulling of a passenger who was drunk going to Las Vegas. I remember when I was with my uncle heading down to Vegas and he was danked and the crew knew but they just turned a blind-eye because they were heading to Vegas. And it was not a charter if you think it was.

FrequentFlyKid · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:26 pm

Maybe I missed something but I thought they let him fly. Anyway, I'd be willing to bet just about anything that any one of the following happened. The production crew was convinced he was not intoxicated. Now, if that didn't happen I am damn sure that the producers and lawyers at A&E wouldn't air that part of the show if they thought this guy was wasted and they just filmed him getting in his car and driving away without taking any steps to prevent this. This leads me to believe he wasn't that drunk. No business would put themselves up for that type of potential liability.

SWAFA30 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:26 pm

Legally, it is against FAR's to transport anyone who is thought to be under the influence. So if you went to the bar and had a beer or two, I could deny you boarding.

Here is the actual FAR

FAR 121.575(c)
No certificate holder may allow any person to board any of its aircraft if that person appears to be intoxicated.

The tough part is determining the "appearance of intoxication". Any person who stops at the airport bar to have a drink is technically under the influence. The tricky part is knowing when someone has crossed the line from "under to influence" to "intoxicated".

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:32 pm

Buddy before he left to drive he mooned the car do you think any sober guy would want to show his ass to the world

[Edited 2004-02-03 05:52:51]

Continental · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:35 pm

I have to say that I really enjoyed the Gospel choir! They really had good voices! If I were on a really dull, boring flight, I'd appreciate it if they sang songs, preferably religious, as you could need it when you're going 500 mph in a metal tube miles above the earth! Wink/being sarcastic

co

YoungDon · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:35 pm

Any sober guy would spell the word "sober" right. Insane

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:40 pm

I can't wait to see this episode! I am going to make a dagwood sandwich and crack a Michelob ultra and enjoy it, goes on here 10pm PST. I will let you know my take on this drunk guy, I would hope that anybody in their right mind would not let someone who is obviously wasted to get behind the wheel. From what I can figure Southwest is only obligated to deny him to fly if he is drunk per FAR rules, after this they can't held responsible.

Flyer732 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:41 pm

SWAFA30, exactly. Thats what I get to deal with daily Smile

And I can't tell the person that they are intoxicated, because I am not supposed to do that. Which means I have to watch more of what I say while I'm kicking them off the plane. Ha!

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:55 pm

You were saying something YOUNGDON

YoungDon · Tue Feb 03, 2004 2:20 pm

Good job Mckennasmall, I'm glad you caught the mistake, I'm proud of you.

mckennasmall · Tue Feb 03, 2004 2:21 pm

The guy looked drunk to me and if a cop pulled him over I think he would be charged with a DUI

hirisk · Tue Feb 03, 2004 3:32 pm

i'm going to stay up just so i can see this episode!missed it the first time around since i was at work.
gotta make money somehow! Smile/happy/getting dizzy

Av8rDAL · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:01 pm

So when is Airline going to run an episode that doesn't involve belligerent drunk guys or ditzy drunk women on their way to Vegas? It's kind of funny, but surely there are other incidents that would be entertaining as well. Overall a great show though.

I think my favorite thus far was the guy in black at LAX who decided to start sipping suds at 7 o'clock in the morning and get kicked out by the airport fuzz. Big grin

-brian-

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:16 pm

Oh boy those girls going to Vegas for a bachelorette party were SKANKS! How classy, drinking beer out of plastic cups in the gate with hats that say "Viva las Vegas" They had to be staying at the Sahara!! The first man was not too drunk, he was cursing and hamming it up for the camera, you can tell when he walked away he wasn't staggering, the second younger guy that they followed to his car was a little more drunk and probably should have waited a while and had some coffee before he drove but I also think he wasn't as wasted as they want you to believe..What about those FAs in Vegas? Come on Southwest! Put your FAs in a better casino then Terrible's!! I almost died laughing when I saw that..Plus the guy made $450 from a $1 wager, tip that cashier!!! Laugh out loud

Bruce · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:18 pm

i was just thinking the same thing myself about the drunk guy driving home.

You know, there is no way to know if he was legally over the limit but if the whole flight crew was noticing his behavoir and actions and they felt he was, then he probably was. He should never have been driving.

bruce

a340pilot · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:40 pm

If you want the choir to be stopped, then I suggest that the Flight attendants stop singing there little songs that they sometimes sing when they are landing which happened to myself on a WN flight from SMF to SEA! Or the fact that they sing Happy Birthday to A PAX on a flight! Tit for Tat, you cant have one and not the other!

Im by far not a religious person and don't go to church or anything like that but it was nice to see "Airline" show something other that drunk PAX or a person bitching about a child's age! Finally there Is some proof that WN is NOT the "Greyhound of the Sky!"

A340pilot

a340pilot · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:46 pm

And one more thing on the Drunk Driver.......Weather or not he was drunk, the Show gave the Illusion that he was, and clearly condoned drunk driving! If he wasn't that drunk then the show should have made a point to the cameras, As far as we the viewers know he was drunk off his A**!

Best regards,
a340pilot

PS- they could have shown someone calling to (at the least) make a report that he MAY be drunk!

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:47 pm

I think Southwest is great in that respect, that Gospel singing was not annoying at all, they didn't carry on for too long. I have to say those FAs had the most personality I have ever seen on a flight. GO WN!!!!

Bruce · Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:48 pm

I feel kind of left out. In all my WN flights i never had a singing F/A or a crew that played games with the pax to pass the time. My F/A's just served the snack and disappeared.

But i also never saw drunk passengers, parents bitching about age, old folks pooping in their pants, dirty smelly guys trying to board, rowdy kids onboard either.

bruce

KaiGywer · Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:12 pm

I just got done watching the 1 am reruns of Airline. Only the second time I watched it, but hey, it's a good show. I wanna get a job with WN, seems like they have so much fun, like when they rented an aircraft carrier to host an employee party. What other airlines do that?

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:46 pm

Eastern used to use a field at Eisenhower park for its picnics, I have to admit it was at one of them that I got drunk for the first time in my life (tap beer) Nuts

and passed out on a beach chair and slept like a baby, got to ask my father how old I was..Those were the days..

fritzi · Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:48 pm

It was stated above that airlines can deny boarding to people that are intoxicated.

Hmmmmmmm...

Certainly not the case with OS though. When our class were flying back to Vienna after our senior trip in Rhodos at 8 AM, they let 50 drunk passengers onto the airplane without saying anything.

It is impossible to say that they didnt notice that we were intoxicated, as we had partied through the entire night!
I even had to support a girl I knew when going up the stairs and then when we got onboard, a guy puked down an entire row of seats....

Maybe they only let us fly because we had the entire 737-800 for ourselves?

WesternDC1010 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:06 pm

NIKV69,

I totally agree with you that those ladies (if you'd call them that) were skanks! Although, I think that the Sahara Hotel would be too good for them. My guess is that they are one to stay at Circus Circus or somewhere sleazy downtown. Binion's Gold Strike, comes to mind.

As for the Chicago based FA's being put up by Southwest at Terrible's, I'm not so sure that was the case. They may have been staying anywhere in Las Vegas (including the skank's choice of hotel) but most establishments wouldn't allow film crews to film in their casinos, so Terrible's may have been the only establishment that allowed it! Am I wrong, but isn't Terrible's a chain of gas stations and mini-marts there in Nevada?

I wonder if Southwest Airlines would ever consider offering 'Alcohics Anonymous' discounted travel? They could offer breathalizer tests at check-in for anyone who was part of AA (not the other aviation AA) to confirm that these members didn't drink before their flights? Maybe even at the gate because our Phoenix-bound 'Sheila', 'Ace' (or whatever their names were and 'the Las Vegas skanks' may have snuck a few drinks at the bar before boarding! In that case, they could be denied boarding! Maybe passengers would take advantage of this and not drink before flights!

I'm glad they didn't let that older man in LAX travel because of his intoxicated state and foul language to Yolanda! 'Kiss my ass Southwest', he says. Oh sir, you're just a beligerent drunken bum who had been reduced to a 'leftover turd in the shower' on national TV! Go and fly America West or USAirways and see how far you get!

I love me some Yolanda, so don't mess with her or I'll open up a can of whoopin' ass!

Oye, these Airline episodes! I wouldn't miss them for anything and they are much better than "Smear Factor" or "Who Wants to Bludgeon a Millionaire!"

- Ron
Western DC-10-10

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:21 pm

Ron, I like your style!!

First thing, Binions does have cheap rooms, BUT they are an institution and thank God was saved by Harrah's, I spent a night at the Golden Nugget last week and walked by the Horseshoe, it is still closed but should open soon status quo. That place is famous and I love their casino. It beats alot of the 4 star hotel's casinos, including the nugget!

Terrible's is the best! They operate gas station/car wash/lube/mini marts in Nevada including an awesome one here in Laughlin, blows away the jiffy lubes back east. They do have a hotel casino too as well in Vegas. You may be right about the camera crew thing. I just found that so funny that he hit a slot in that house. Laugh out loud

I guess they keep them loose

Yes those girls were no good, and definately were relishing their 15 minutes of fame. Yep Circus Circus was probably a good bet for them. I loved how that drunk guy was trying to talk some game to them. They made me sick. Keep up the good work A&E!!

Tiger119 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:30 pm

OK, so I missed the episode, but did they have camera footage of this "drunk" guy get behind the wheel of a car and actually drive off? Did they knowingly and willingly allow a person operate a motor vehicle when they thought he was under the influence? Who knows what happened off camera. Now I wish I would have seen the show.

WesternDC1010 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:36 pm

Yes those girls were no good, and definately were relishing their 15 minutes of fame. Yep Circus Circus was probably a good bet for them. I loved how that drunk guy was trying to talk some game to them.

NIKV69,

I LOVE your style too and we are definitely going to get along well!

Oh yes. Those skank's mothers and that drunk guy's girlfriend in Las Vegas must be SO PROUD! I'll bet you that they were headed for some "Girls Gone Wild - Las Vegas Trash Edition Home Video" casting call! I wonder if they made the cut?

Oh, I'm going to hell!

- Ron
Western DC-10-10

NIKV69 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:45 pm

Ron, Yep we will get along, you keep it real. I like that..

Tiger119, Yes camera was rolling while this guy hung them a moon and then got into his car (Looked like an Infiniti?) and drove off. He wasn't full blown drunk but he should have not been driving. Camera crew did nothing, which for A&E can be bad PR. That can be taken as not doing the right thing in the name of getting the footage to put on TV. I think they need to re-think their practice seeing the drunk pax angle looks like one they will exploit alot. It never gets old and we love it too much. This raises a huge question as too who is responsible, these people are not leaving bars, so who takes their keys?

barney captain · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:57 pm

We actually do stay at Terribles in LAS, as well as 2 other hotels. With so many crews there on any given night, most hotels can only accommodate a certain number, so it's usually split between AM and PM crews. Personally, I don't find anything wrong with the place; they bend over back wards for us, the rooms are clean and new, and you can get food and beverage 24/7.

Tiger119 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:59 pm

NIKV69, I agree and I was also thinking about the legal and civil liabilities. The question of taking the keys, I'd have to ask a lawyer. But if that guy stacked up his ride and injured someone or damaged someone else's property, well, that would be a show for "Court TV!" You're right, really bad PR.

acvitale · Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:41 pm

Funny you criticize the FA hotel... DL uses Circus Circus for its FAs

Randy4920 · Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:48 pm

Continental uses Alexis Park. I agree with you, about the driving intoxicated, it was the first thing that came to my head, too drunk to fly as a passenger, but able to operate a car? This will cause trouble for the show....

justplanecrazy · Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:53 pm

I sat next to a drunk when i flew from Heathrow to Tokyo with Japan airlines,he was on a stand by ticket. He asked me to order a drink for him because he was told he would only be allowed on the flight if he didnt drink,I refused so he went without .I was amazed he was allowed on the flight in the condition i saw him

contrails · Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:32 am

I was thinking the same thing as Randy4920. Too drunk to board the flight, but able to drive home. Not a good message.

Changing the subject slightly, I loved this show at first, but the obnoxious passengers are starting to annoy me.

mckennasmall · Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:13 am

glad to hear your opinions

luv2fly · Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:20 am

If that person was in an accident who do you think the family would go after, A&E, why because they were in a position to stop that person from driving and they chose rating over common sense......

Also why do you think they are focusing on the least desirable passenger? Ratings and to sell advertising, pure and simple.

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