Attack on passenger who reclined her seat (Southwest)

[sulu]

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Southwest Passenger for Allegedly Choking, Punching Woman on Flight

:Flying: :Flying:

 

 

:BB_Fight: :BB_Fight: :BB_Fight: :BB_Fight: :BB_Fight:

 

 

A man who allegedly punched and choked a woman on a Southwest Airlines flight in October, giving her a concussion, has been indicted by a federal grand jury, authorities said Wednesday.

Witnesses said the fight started over the woman's seat being reclined. The San Francisco-bound plane made an emergency landing after leaving from Los Angeles.

 

Lawrence Wells, 54, who lives in Richmonda, California, faces one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury stemming from the Octover scuffle on Southwest Flight 2010, according to court documents and U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker.

If found guilty, he faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. This is the first time that Wells has been formally identified, and efforts to reach him on Wednesday – after the FBI announced his arrest – were not immediately successful.

 

Wells allegedly choked and hit the woman, only identified by the initials M.D., in the head with a closed fist, resulting in a concussion, according to the two page complaint.

The flight returned to LAX where Wells was questioned, issued a citation and released. The indictment was returned Tuesday, NBC News learned. Wells was scheduled to make his first federal court appearance in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon.

 

The remaining 136 passengers switched planes and would arrive in San Francisco about five hours late.

KBLX radio host and comedian Mark Curry was on that flight and told NBC Bay Area at the time that he was asleep on the flight and woke up to a commotion.

 

"I thought it was a terrorist so I jumped up. I didn't know what to do. A guy got into it with a lady and choked her or something," Curry said from his San Francisco radio station in October. "The lady was frantic. They wanted me to put restraints on the guy. They asked me if I would help. I said, 'At 30,000 feet, yes! I'll beat anybody down.' It was an incredible situation."

 

 

Source:

 

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Federal-Grand-Jury-Indicts-Southwest-Passenger-For-Allegedly-Choking-Woman-Reclining-in-Seat-362684891.html#doc

 

 

 

That flight normally takes 1 hour and 20 minutes.

 

Thank you. That explains a lot,,,,,,,,,,,,, 

 

 

Story is very confusing. Why was he arrested only now and not on night of incident?

Of course, there is absolutely no justification for beating on a fellow passenger for such an incident, especially a man hitting a woman, still ... if she was a jerk about slamming her seat back all the way, in these cramped times, I'm sure everyone would've wanted to slap her good. But a no-no. (I would've passively-aggressively been bringing my knee up rather hard against her seat right where her head was located).

 

Story is a *little* confusing. but read the bolded parts. Indictment was only handed down on Tuesday, the day of the LA Times article.

 

Probably released on his own recognizance after the indicent.

 

Glad you agree YOUR reaction would have been passive-aggressive and YOU would have been the one who should have been "slapped good". 

 

Good on him !

 

Should have been YOU !!! 

[Billyboy294]

JH.....sure it's okay to recline the seat. I wish the airlines would fix this problem.

 

I'm 6'1". I don't fly business class....my choice...rather save that money for 'fun times'.

It annoys me when people just drop their seats and don't give a damn about the people behind them.

It might be their right. But it's impolite and rude.

I've had short people do this. I have had parents drop their kids seats on me....neither of these were necessary.

Would I do this NO.

But to attack someone....well.....must have been a bad hair day.

 

So according to you short people and kids should not be allowed to recline their seats and get some sleep.

[muldoon]

Once everyone over 5'10" starts buying premium economy (or business) so they can fit in the fuckin' seat the airlines will just squeeze another 1 or 2 economy rows into the plane.

 

Then all the people over 5'6 will start complaining about no room and people reclining into their knees!

 

The people under 5'6" will say "Buy a premium seat you oversized monster"

 

     

[happy888]

So according to you short people and kids should not be allowed to recline their seats and get some sleep.

I didn't say that. I said there was no need for people to drop their seats on me.

[nixonsbest]

Yea!.. Recliner thread!..

 

I sort it out straight away and just punch fuck out of the passengers, in front and behind me!  And if they get a bit lippy either side of me I give them the old 123!..

[happy888]

Yea!.. Recliner thread!..

 

I sort it out straight away and just punch fuck out of the passengers, in front and behind me!  And if they get a bit lippy either side of me I give them the old 123!..

Ha Ha....go Rocky!

[nixonsbest]

Ha Ha....go Rocky!

Sorted Mate!.. No pissing and moaning!..

[sinbad5]

I used to be 6'1  and now 6' after being old, really sucks.     I now fly business, but why I did economy, and they put their seat back, I did the same whether I wanted to or not, that got me the space back.

 

the one I really hated was a humongous fat guy rolling into my seat, I am big and then this fuck talks up half my seat, on a full plane.....damn, just gotta live with it, shame on the airline for allowing it but if they said something they would be sued for pointing it out.  Nowadays the call a pig handicapped... stop eating you fuck

 

I have had kids kicking my seat constantly.   I look back at papa and say tell him to stop.  when he continued I told papa I will see him in luggage return if he does it again, it stops

 

Another option you might consider - instead of threatening to beat the guy up in front of his children - is calling a flight attendant.

[nixonsbest]

Another option you might consider - instead of threatening to beat the guy up in front of his children - is calling a flight attendant.

Just beat the kids!.. Seems the SOP!..How dare someone recline their seat in between meal service and take off and landing!..

[MrDK]

Why can people not accept that an airline sell a ticket to ride which include the right to occupy a seat as so configured.

That includes a tray table, arm rests that may have to be shared, the space under the seat in front (a protrusion if one only see space as vertical) and a few inches of recline as per seat design.

Imagine if a passenger in front insist that the space under his seat is his.

[MrDK]

Not sure I said it was worth it.. Looking back at what I wrote.. nope, didn't say that.  I did say and will reiterate, good on him.

 

Now, imagine you are a fucktard, now imagine you are a person who reclines their seat... but I repeat myself  yes, Mark Twain is rolling in his grave.

Why not petition some airlines to start service where seats cannot be reclined, there must be a market for that.

Next try a configuration with no overhead bins, they too are a source of conflict.

[MrDK]

This should approximate the space included in an airline's contract of carriage.

 

[jaynewcastle]

Unfortunately, that recline space is sold to the reclining passenger by the airline.

A pretty simple concept that some people cannot understand for some reason ?, normally people who declare they will intimidate, bully or assault any passenger in front of them who does wish to recline their seat

 

Seats should not be reclined at take-off/landing, or during meals, but all other times, its up to the person who paid for the seat whether they wish to recline or not, not other passengers.

[Beerburgerbonk]

I assume that most, if not all, airlines have banned this thing.

 

http://www.gadgetduck.com/goods/kneedefender.html

 

You can or cant recline your seat ?

 

Its up to you and no one else !

[Ron Rat]

I don't know why the bloke didn't just get up for a piss a couple of times and grab hold of the headrest . getting in and out. If the woman complained just tell her "I was forced to because your seat is reclined in my space.". 

[hauhinbin]

Once everyone over 5'10" starts buying premium economy (or business) so they can fit in the fuckin' seat the airlines will just squeeze another 1 or 2 economy rows into the plane.

 

Then all the people over 5'6 will start complaining about no room and people reclining into their knees!

 

The people under 5'6" will say "Buy a premium seat you oversized monster"

 

     

Its an Asian world

[sabato]

Nature is quite unfair, but it is the way "God" made it. If you are out of standard, you have to pay for it.

So if you are too tall, or to fat to fit in a regular seat, then get a business seat, but don't make the others pay for your choice "not to spend the money you should" according to your situation, and not theirs.

 

Don't get me wrong. We're all out of standard somewhere in our life, and we're all paying it sometimes. In the plane, it is your turn, and in other situations, it will be others.

While I understand the sentiment, where we differ is on the assumption that the recline feature is a guaranteed part of the package. Just like getting that chicken dinner (sorry sir, we're out), or finding a space in the overhead for your carry on, these things are not guaranteed. If you want to recline without causing grief, get a business class seat .

 

Mind you I would probably not ask the attendant to do something, I'd just assume the person is a bit of a prick, and there's no law against that, so go right ahead! No different to a smoker lighting up next to your dinner.

[benny31]

Recline your seat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:GoldenSmile1:

[hauhinbin]

While I understand the sentiment, where we differ is on the assumption that the recline feature is a guaranteed part of the package. Just like getting that chicken dinner (sorry sir, we're out), or finding a space in the overhead for your carry on, these things are not guaranteed. If you want to recline without causing grief, get a business class seat .

 

Mind you I would probably not ask the attendant to do something, I'd just assume the person is a bit of a prick, and there's no law against that, so go right ahead! No different to a smoker lighting up next to your dinner.

Absurd conflation .It is the right of those who reside in in the seat to recline or not-as they wish,they paid for it,and the space into which they recline

[andy666]

I had a night flight this month, everybody reclined their seat to try to sleep, nobody made a problem.... Of course when food is served you have to adjust your seats...

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sabato]

 

I had a night flight this month, everybody reclined their seat to try to sleep, nobody made a problem.... Of course when food is served you have to adjust your seats...

It varies between airlines, but as I mentioned before, for some of the seats (the ones with the metal boxes under them) it can be physically impossible to fully recline unless you were to lift your legs up or move them sideways. I've had people recline about half way and unable to go further.

 

There's a thin metal bar between the chairs that reclines back as well, and I can tell you that hurts something cruel if reclined into your kneecap. Maybe that's what set the guy off .

 

Absurd conflation .It is the right of those who reside in in the seat to recline or not-as they wish,they paid for it,and the space into which they recline

Not disputing it's their right to try. That's why I mentioned the smoker example, it's someones right to light up. It's someones right to take all the prawns from the eat all you want buffet.. Is it reasonable to expect someone to pay 2-3x the airfare, to gain that 1" of leg room and allow the legs to remain straight? This is a subjective thing, but I don't think that's especially reasonable.

[andy666]

There's a thin metal bar between the chairs that reclines back as well, and I can tell you that hurts something cruel if reclined into your kneecap. Maybe that's what set the guy off .

.

If somebody would ask me polite and tell me they have a physical problem which make it hard for them if i recline my seat i would not do it, without having the feeling i've been served short or so.... I'm not a difficult guy, but nobody ever complained to me when i reclined my seats and i never complained to other people when they reclined theirs.

 

Last trip there was a mom with a crying child (2years old?) she looked very embarrassed because of her child making all this noise. It is annoying of course! But BM Coolsmoe and myself made a joke about it and some couple caught the child's attention with some animation on an ebook, the kid soon fell asleep and the mom smiled at us everytime we looked, said goodbye when we arrived too.

 

Maybe we should all be a little bit more tolerant towards eachother , sure we would have a better time while spending our time here....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sabato]

If somebody would ask me polite and tell me they have a physical problem which make it hard for them if i recline my seat i would not do it, without having the feeling i've been served short or so.... I'm not a difficult guy, but nobody ever complained to me when i reclined my seats and i never complained to other people when they reclined theirs.

 

Last trip there was a mom with a crying child (2years old?) she looked very embarrassed because of her child making all this noise. It is annoying of course! But BM Coolsmoe and myself made a joke about it and some couple caught the child's attention with some animation on an ebook, the kid soon fell asleep and the mom smiled at us everytime we looked, said goodbye when we arrived too.

 

Maybe we should all be a little bit more tolerant towards eachother , sure we would have a better time while spending our time here....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes if the person behind got agro as a first resort, people rightfully aren't going to respond well to that, and if anything be more likely to ignore them.

 

The time I had the metal bar into my knee, a kid in front took me by surprise rapidly reclining his chair, it kind of bounced off my knee so he tried again. Very painful, I'm thankful it wasn't an adult forcing it back. It's ok I didn't bash the kid!!

[just hanging]

Another option you might consider - instead of threatening to beat the guy up in front of his children - is calling a flight attendant.

talked to the flight attendant several times, told the kid to stop.  he didn't.    I can add a thousand words to this but I am guessing you attention span would explode.    You try to stop them nicely and then escalate till it does stop, that is up to them.   telling papa i will kick his ass at luggage control did it, the attendant and me asking nice didn't work.  I am assuming you dont get out much if you think most will stop when asked nicely

 

my friend did something similar in the states.  Kid kept kicking and wouldn't stop after him and papa being asked nicely.  He did the same as me and papa just gave a blank stare. He has muscles and is 5'9 and papa ignored him.   He was traveling with another friend of ours, currently the heavy weight kick boxing champion at the time, Swedish guy, 6'7.    When he told the guy the same thing, he apologized immediately and it stopped.

 

If papa lets the kid continually kick someones seat, you think he really cares if you dont like it?

 

 

not quite this bad but not far off.  think papa should say something?

 

 

 

[sinbad5]

talked to the flight attendant several times, told the kid to stop.  he didn't.    I can add a thousand words to this but I am guessing you attention span would explode.    You try to stop them nicely and then escalate till it does stop, that is up to them.   telling papa i will kick his ass at luggage control did it, the attendant and me asking nice didn't work.  I am assuming you dont get out much if you think most will stop when asked nicely

 

my friend did something similar in the states.  Kid kept kicking and wouldn't stop after him and papa being asked nicely.  He did the same as me and papa just gave a blank stare. He has muscles and is 5'9 and papa ignored him.   He was traveling with another friend of ours, currently the heavy weight kick boxing champion at the time, Swedish guy, 6'7.    When he told the guy the same thing, he apologized immediately and it stopped.

 

If papa lets the kid continually kick someones seat, you think he really cares if you dont like it?

 

 

not quite this bad but not far off.  think papa should say something?

 

post-6000-0-94413700-1450526844-1.jpg

 

Let's hope no one's papa ever calls your bluff.