Passengers Describe How Flight Attendant ‘Lost It’

Flight Attendant Steven Slater launched a profanity-laced tirade over the loudspeakers

A passenger aboard the plane described how flight attendant Steven Slater launched a profanity-laced tirade over the loudspeakers.

The seat-belt belt flight was turned off and passengers hurriedly gathered their carry-on bags when the JetBlue flight from Pittsburgh landed in New York on Monday.

Slater then announced over the intercom where the passenger who allegedly swore at him earlier can go. He had a bloody gash over one eye and used three profane words with his public announcement.

“Everyone kind of gasped,” Doebler said. “The passengers all started to giggle a little bit.”

After the tirade, Slater, grabbed a beer, used an emergency exit off the plane’s side, ran to a nearby parking lot where his car was parked, and drove off. He was later arrested by police at his home in Queens.

Prosecutors are charging him with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and trespassing. He was freed after posting bail on Tuesday night.

Slater’s lawyer said that his client did not endanger anyone.

While boarding the plane, Doebler recalls having seen Slater with a fresh, bleeding cut on his face. Apparently, the now famous flight attendant was hit by a luggage in the overhead compartment bin after struggling with another passenger shortly before takeoff, and that earlier incident sparked his anger.

Online sentiment supporting Slater’s actions appear to be growing by thousands by the hour, with more than 150,000 supporters on Facebook by Thursday morning. One opinion is that the passenger instigated the incident and “should have been the one ejected”, said George Hobica, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Thursday August 12 2010, 11:10 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0