Traveler's joke lands him in trouble

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Passenger accused of inducing panic for comment on pilot's sobriety

Authorities aren't laughing at a passenger's joke about a pilot at Akron-Canton Airport.

Thomas Smith, 55, of Levittown, Pa., is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Barberton Municipal Court on a charge of inducing panic after he allegedly made a comment that delayed a commuter plane's flight to Cincinnati for about four hours Friday.

Smith was among 37 passengers on an airliner flying for Delta-Comair that made a bumpy landing at the airport in Green.

Summit County Sheriff's Sgt. Leonard Fanelly said Smith got off the plane just before 11 a.m. and made a comment in front of the flight crew, ground crew, staff and passengers that ``that was a terrible landing. The pilot must be drunk.''

As a result of Smith's comment, Fanelly said, the flight to Cincinnati was delayed so the blood alcohol level of the flight crew could be tested. None of the crew members had alcohol in their systems, authorities said.

The pilot, Scott Kepling, who works for Chautauqua Airlines, told deputies the delay would cost the airline more than $5,000.

An airline spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Smith was detained at a baggage claim area, where he was charged with inducing panic, a fourth-degree felony. He told deputies he was joking when he made the statement, Fanelly said.

Smith appeared Saturday before Barberton Municipal Judge Michael Weigand. The judge ordered Smith to return with a court-appointed attorney Wednesday. He is free on bond.

If convicted, he could receive up to 18 months in prison.

Fanelly said people need to be cautious with what they say in airports and on planes. ``What he said may have been just a joke, but he didn't realize what went along with it,'' Fanelly said.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16938397.htm

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Fanelly said people need to be cautious with what they say in airports and on planes. ``What he said may have been just a joke, but he didn't realize what went along with it,'' Fanelly said.

imagine that. someone tell the flying imams.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Throwing jokes inside an airport is almost getting a one way ticket to jail. An airplane carries between 100-300 or more hundred passengers, and their lives depends on the crew and more importantly, the pilot. A small comment like that can cause panic amongst the passengers because nobody want their life to be jeopardized. Post 9/11 is more strict. I would rather have them strict, and thorough than not. When you're in the air, everyone trusts their lives on the pilot.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Fanelly said people need to be cautious with what they say in airports and on planes. ``What he said may have been just a joke, but he didn't realize what went along with it,'' Fanelly said.

imagine that. someone tell the flying imams.

The imams weren't even arrested. This guy might do jail time.

[almaty 19]

the dude was a chopf##k..i would have been pissed if i was one of the flight crew and had to be tested cause of him

[pedroh 21]

lol.. why can't people just listen to their ipod, watch a movie in their dvd player, or read a book, and STFU!!

People are so stupid these days when flying... the moment they step up into the plane, they become stupid..

[Amby 490]

lol.. why can't people just listen to their ipod, watch a movie in their dvd player, or read a book, and STFU!!

People are so stupid these days when flying... the moment they step up into the plane, they become stupid..

I agree with you 100%. I read somewhere once that in the future we should be put under anesthesia when we check in at the airport and not be woke up until after the flight and we have our luggage and we're sitting in our nice hotel room. I think that would be a lovely flight.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Welcome to the new culture of America: over reaction. The terrorists have won.

See also, the ATHF "bombs" in Boston.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What is "panic inducing" about making an obvious aside joke about the pilot's sobriety? It's hardly the same as standing up in the aisle and shouting "bomb!". I'm sure most people have said the same thing about erratic drivers - its an opinion - hardly something the guy would be taken seriously on - unless the pilot was literally seen staggering down the aisle reeking of urine and Jack Daniels.

I guess people really do go about in a perpetual state of paranoia...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

What is "panic inducing" about making an obvious aside joke about the pilot's sobriety? It's hardly the same as standing up in the aisle and shouting "bomb!". I'm sure most people have said the same thing about erratic drivers - its an opinion - hardly something the guy would be taken seriously on - unless the pilot was literally seen staggering down the aisle reeking of urine and Jack Daniels.

I guess people really do go about in a perpetual state of paranoia...

Really. The plane already landed.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Some of this stuff really beggars belief. Did you know for instance (a long time before 9/11) that certain movies - the Truman Show for example were censored for precisely that reason. They edited out the scene where Jim Carrey is in the travel agent's office and there's a poster on the office wall showing a lightning bolt through the plane with the caption "This could happen to you" underneath.

Does that mean if I watch say Fight Club on a laptop (which features a scene where a daydreaming Edward Norton imagines the plane he is on crashing in flames) that I should be arrested for it?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I bet you would be instructed to turn off any movie that involved a plane crash or hi-jacking. I recommend that no one test this theory.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I bet you would be instructed to turn off any movie that involved a plane crash or hi-jacking. I recommend that no one test this theory.

And yet my wife watched it the other week on a business flight with no problems... That's actually why I mentioned it...

But even so - how can you "instil panic" by making a comment about the pilots sobriety based on a bumpy landing?

Edited March 20, 2007 by erekose

[Nagishkaw 510]

lol.. why can't people just listen to their ipod, watch a movie in their dvd player, or read a book, and STFU!!

People are so stupid these days when flying... the moment they step up into the plane, they become stupid..

I agree with you 100%. I read somewhere once that in the future we should be put under anesthesia when we check in at the airport and not be woke up until after the flight and we have our luggage and we're sitting in our nice hotel room. I think that would be a lovely flight.

Thats one way of curbing the problem of passengers peeing in barf bags.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I bet you would be instructed to turn off any movie that involved a plane crash or hi-jacking. I recommend that no one test this theory.

And yet my wife watched it the other week on a business flight with no problems... That's actually why I mentioned it...

But even so - how can you "instil panic" by making a comment about the pilots sobriety based on a bumpy landing?

That's just one scene though (if I recall).