Airline Steward at JFK Pulls Emergency Chute, Flies Coop

Demiurge

Airline Steward at JFK Pulls Emergency Chute, Flies Coop



A flight attendant ran out of patience on a plane that just landed at JFK on Monday afternoon, so he allegedly cursed a blue streak over the p.a. system, grabbed some beers, pulled the emergency chute, slid down and ran from the plane, sources said.

Jet Blue employee Steven Slater, 38, was working on Flight 1052 from Pittsburgh to Kennedy Airport, which landed at around 12 p.m., when he got into a verbal altercation with a passenger, law-enforcement sources said.

Following a heated exchange, the flight attendant told off the entire plane on the public address system, activated an emergency chute near the back of the plane and jumped down the evacuation slide and ran for it.

The argument began when one of the 100 passengers on the flight, got up early to get her luggage from an overhead compartment, according to sources. Slater told the passenger to sit back down -- but, as he approached, the woman continued to pull her belongings down and struck him in the head with her bag, authorities said.

Slater asked for an apology but the woman cursed him out, saying in effect "go f--k yourself" and calling him a "mo-fo," according to law enforcement sources who are still sorting out the specifics. Then Slater got on the flight's announcement system and allegedly cursed out everyone on the plane -- especially the person who mouthed off to him, according to law enforcement sources.

When his tirade was through, he then took a some beers from the galley and pulled the emergency chute and slid off the Embraer 190 plane. According to police sources, he threw his luggage down first and said something to the effect of "there goes 28 years," before he took the plunge
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After getting down the slide, Slater took off into the terminal, law-enforcement sources said.

Slater was later arrested at his home in Belle Harbor, Queens by Port Authority officials. He was found by police in a sexual embrace with his partner, sources said.

The steward was "having a bad day," sources said.

He is being charged with 2nd-and 4th-degree criminal mischief, 1st- and 2nd-degree reckless endangerment and criminal trespass in the 3rd degree, according to a spokeswoman for Queens DA Richard Brown. Slater faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted.

No one was injured in the incident. JetBlue, in a statement, added, "At no time was the security or safety of our customers or crewmembers at risk."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Airline-Steward-at-JFK-Pulls-Emergency-Chute-Flies-Coop-100286494.html

nadams

Someone who actually followed through on their feelings to just say "screw this, I'm out of here". Of course, where are you going to go when you're on a plane? I bet he always wanted to slide down that slide, too...

nooshinjohn

Too bad Darwin didn't supply a hungry turbine on a 757 for this guy. Introducing risk of injury to others by his actions is inexcuseable IMHO. Not to mention the damage done to the aircraft itself. What a Tool.

grimmace19

Great article... one of the funniest things I've read in quite a while. Now that's the way to quit a job!

Mike Kozak

Seems like a reasonable response to me. What a nut job!!!

shawn474

Demiurge wrote: »

Slater was later arrested at his home in Belle Harbor, Queens by Port Authority officials. He was found by police in a sexual embrace with his partner, sources said.

First of all, what in the blue hell is a "sexual embrace"? And secondly, why would they include this is in the article?

polkatese

So airlines corporate brass keep coming up with Revenue Enhancements opportunity programs to stiff the Passengers by charging more and giving a lot less amenities: Passengers get edgy and pissed off and treat the lowly paid flight attendants piss poor.

If I were a flight attendants, ticket agents, and any of those customer-facing personnel, would have snapped too.

Is there any upside of being part of any US carriers? nope.

Danny Tse

So what about the passenger who started this whole chain of events? What a moron! I've worked at the airport before and had to deal with such $#&*^#s (if you're reading this, Bruce Hornsby, I'm talking about YOU). He's lucky I didn't climb over the counter and show him "that's the way it is".

Norm Apter

polkatese wrote: »

So airlines corporate brass keep coming up with Revenue Enhancements opportunity programs to stiff the Passengers by charging more and giving a lot less amenities: Passengers get edgy and pissed off and treat the lowly paid flight attendants piss poor.

If I were a flight attendants, ticket agents, and any of those customer-facing personnel, would have snapped too.

Is there any upside of being part of any US carriers? nope.

That just about sums it up.

But my favorite part of the story was that he actually grabbed a few beers before his grand exit. I mean hey, if you're going to go on an extended staycation, may as well have a few brewskies on hand.

F1nut

I love it, the guy has style.

If Jet Blue had any sense, they would retain his services while spinning the event into a plus for their company, which I'm sure any good PR company could do.

snow

shawn474 wrote: »

First of all, what in the blue hell is a "sexual embrace"? And secondly, why would they include this is in the article?

Read between the lines.....Use your imaganation and because it makes for a more sordid tale.



REGARDS SNOW

snow

F1nut wrote: »

I love it, the guy has style.

If Jet Blue had any sense, they would retain his services while spinning the event into a plus for their company, which I'm sure any good PR company could do.

Agreed the guys a hero in my book :cool:



REGARDS SNOW

TNRabbit

Too bad he didn't falcon-punch the b*tch on his way out the door~

Vette C6.r

shawn474 wrote: »

First of all, what in the blue hell is a "sexual embrace"? And secondly, why would they include this is in the article?

Sex and blood are the only things that sell newspapers and TV news.

kevhed72

I want to do what this guy did (well almost everything this guy did) every time I have time fly.

DarqueKnight

According to police sources, he threw his luggage down first and said something to the effect of "there goes 28 years," before he took the plunge.

I wonder what he meant by "there goes 28 years", if that is what he actually said. The steward is only 38 years old and Jet Blue has only been in business for 12 years (founded 1998). Maybe he was thinking he might get 28 years in prison.

Slater was later arrested at his home in Belle Harbor by Port Authority officials. Police sources said that when authorities found Slater he seemed to be in the midst having sexual relations.

Did they break the guy's door down and storm his house? Seems like that is the only way they could "find" someone in this situation.

Vette C6.r

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Did they break the guy's door down and storm his house? Seems like that is the only way they could "find" someone in this situation.

Was wondering the same thing. All the charges seem a bit overdone. The reckless endgangerment is def. chumped up. All the charges in MD are misdemeanors. We don't have varying degress of reck. end. however.

As far as MD goes you can't break the door down unless you have a Search Warrant. Not sure why they would have a search warrant for this case. Usually it is to recover the "fruits of the crime". What "fruits" ?? The beer ???

As usual the news leaves questions unanswered.

nadams

I think he would've endangered the passengers more if he hadn't popped the slide off and left.

Jeff_J

"A flight attendant ran out of patience on a plane that just landed at JFK on Monday afternoon, so he allegedly cursed a blue streak over the p.a. system, grabbed some beers, pulled the emergency chute, slid down and ran from the plane, sources said."

Nice!! I raise my glass to you sir!

maximillian

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Too bad Darwin didn't supply a hungry turbine on a 757 for this guy. Introducing risk of injury to others by his actions is inexcuseable IMHO. Not to mention the damage done to the aircraft itself. What a Tool.

Kind of agree. This story is funny. It is a classy way to quit a job. However, a flight attendants safety responsibilities don't end until all the passengers are off the plane. So there is a bit of irresponsibility in regards to passenger safety. Also, doping the chute just mean delays for everyone else getting off the plane. I don't know if there are additional safety implications to dropping the chute too, such as possibly hitting people on the ground as it drops. So I wouldn't necessarily call him a hero. However I believe the charges and the use of police force (apparently SWAT and a helicopter were dispatched to his house) are completely unnecessary.

fatchowmein

Well, at least he didn't pull a Connecticut (beer warehouse).

Jstas

I have this image in my head of this dude screaming profanities over the PA then running to the back of the plane with maniacal laughter and grabbing a parachute. Then popping open the back door shouting "See ya, suckers!" jumping out and landing face first on the tarmac 15 feet below in a cloud of dust and then his chute popping out in a billowy poof and settling over him while he lets out a whimper.

*cue laughter*

*close scene*

Vette C6.r

Atlast. They found D.B. Cooper. lol

Bobsama

Vette C6.r wrote: »

Atlast. They found D.B. Cooper. lol

At first look at the title, I thought he somehow acquired a parachute and decided to, like D.B. Cooper, take a dive.

Danny Tse

Wouldn't the passenger violated some kind of Federal law by not obeying the flight attendant?

apphd

Danny Tse wrote: »

Wouldn't the passenger violated some kind of Federal law by not obeying the flight attendant?

I do believe that would be the case. But that could probably be enforced on just about any flight:mad: Flew into Newark yesterday and operations at Continental seemed pretty screwed up, I wonder if this was a result of flights being diverted there? Flying these days and the jerks that can't follow simple directions can add a few points to the blood pressure that's for sure.

acmf74

snow wrote: »

Agreed the guys a hero in my book :cool:



REGARDS SNOW

absolutely. People can be so rude at times. I take the LIRR to work and know I now why the conductors are the way they are. Some passengers are always trying to scam or down right obnoxious.

Fongolio

The story reminds me of Michael Douglas' character in the movie "Falling Down".

Jstas

Fongolio wrote: »

The story reminds me of Michael Douglas' character in the movie "Falling Down".

I would have thought this thread to be more apt:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105178

Face

snow wrote: »

Read between the lines.....Use your imaganation and because it makes for a more sore tail.



REGARDS SNOW

Fixed.

Face

Zero wrote: »

Personally, I'm surprised our dear Jstas hasn't done this already. Only, I have a feeling that grease would be used for the chute. Don't ask me why...

It just didn't make the news.