Flight From D.C. to Ore. Diverted: ‘Strange’ Middle-Eastern Men Refuse Crew Instructions
- Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:29pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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An Oregon-bound United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., that was diverted to Chicago for security concerns landed early Wednesday morning in Portland after some of the passengers refused to follow crew instructions and were acting “strange.”
United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson tells KGW-TV that passengers on Flight 251 from Dulles International Airport were taken off at O’Hare International Airport Tuesday evening and re-screened through security.
He says two or three passengers who had not been following crew instructions were not on board the plane when it continued to Portland International Airport. Johnson says he couldn’t say whether they were detained.
NBC Chicago offers more details, however, and says passengers identified the uncooperative individuals as being of Middle-Eastern origin, and that they were verbally arguing with flight attendants as well as pacing and passing notes:
At least one of the men walked back to the area of the plane where flight attendants work, laid down and began complaining of illness. That man engaged in “some sort of altercation” with the flight attendant, a passenger said.
At one point another man, who was pacing back and forth in the aisles, also got into a “verbal altercation” with a flight attendant, according to a passenger.
Passenger Cliff Robinett described it to KGW as “strange goings on in the back of the plane” for security reasons.
He said a man was lying on the floor of the plane in the back of the plane. He did not speak English and an interpreter also had difficulty translating. Robinett said a doctor on the plane also tried to assist the passenger.
He said three men got off the plane, one of them ill. No one knew what was happening at the time, including TSA officials in Chicago, he said.
Stacy Niedermeyer of Southwest Portland was on the flight with her husband and four children.
She said the men involved were of middle-Eastern descent. One of them went back to the area in the back of the plane where attendants sit. He basically ‘sat down on his bottom.’ Some type of heated altercation took place.
Lydia Omelchenko said the suspect passengers were “strange people.” Other passengers knew something was amiss and were texting about the incident, she said.
Yesterday a U.S. Airways flight in Charlotte, NC was grounded after it was discovered a bullet struck the cabin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (132)
Fight for America
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:06pmAm waiting for the next shoe to fall – probably a lawsuit against the airline for not knowing their language and expecting passengers to listen to “underlings”.
Report Post »Ron Burgundy
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:01pmDry run…… Kaboom
Report Post »liberalsarealiens
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:01pmSorry for the “double” post! Slow sat internet!
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:08pmBeen there, done that. I also worked in public transportation and know that what you say is very true.
Report Post »smitty805
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:00pmthey’re probably planning a law suit…
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:59pmCertain “types” of people like to act suspiciously on planes and buses, they enjoy making the American public uncomfortable and fearful. They probably enjoy telling their friends about it and get a good laugh out of it. Wouldn’t it be fun to kick their asses when we see them do it. We could get arrested for assault and battery and have something fun to tell our friends about.
Report Post »jerryod1627
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:33pmHow about we have them go sky diving and forget their parachute!
Report Post »getalong
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 7:16pmMusltims are nortoriously “sue-crazy”. Probably just a set up so that they could sue the airlines. Idiots haven’t figured out yet that we (the Amercan people) are on to them.
Report Post »saneromeo
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:59pmRemeber the suspicious Imams lawsuit? This is round two, and the warning will be leave Muslims alone or pay the penalty. Didn’t the PASSENGERS as well as the airline get sued in that case? With us in a third muslim country dropping bombs and the “No Stones” article, now is when they need more press coverage of how the West mistreats and hates Islam. Completely untrue, its just we are tired of pickung up the pieces of this religion of peace…
Report Post »liberalsarealiens
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:56pmAs a retired Airline Captain I can attest these things happen more offen then you might think. I have had one of my flights probed by 5 middle eastern men in their 20-30s. There was no doubt about what was going on. I won’t give details about it but believe me it does happen!
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:02pmyou should have shot them all
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:28pmParanoid dude and Psychopath, sitting in a tree… Kay eye ess ess eye enn gee.
Report Post »BellaMia7
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:54pmMake a bunch of phony probes to lull future victims into dropping their defenses, when they discover the emergencies were “harmless.” After a while, the victims assume it is a “false alarm.” That’s when the terrorists strike for real. It’s like crying wolf, to deliberately desensitize the villagers.
Report Post »liberalsarealiens
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:51pmAs a retired Airline Captain (united) I can attest this kind of thing happens more offen than you might think. Our flights are being probed probably every day for some sort of weakness. I have had my flight from Chicago to LA probed without a doubt! All 5 of them were middle eastern men in their 20-30s, I won’t put details up but believe me it does happen!
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:16pminteresting…. are the dry runs ever tests by the US, FBI, CIA, FAA, CNN ????
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:43pmWay to be on-the-ball, keep your eyes & ears open everybody!
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:43pmI’ll say it… PLANNING STAGES.
Report Post »MommaGrizzly
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:42pmWe need to wake up! They are close!
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:41pmGosh, are you all profiling middle eastern terroists? Come on man, they have rights as terrorist you know. They have the right to blow up and go to Allah….you are denying them their rights…..(are we now racist for saying that or sensitive to our terrorist brothers?)
Report Post »run42k
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:41pmIt was Akmed D.B. Khooper in seat 18C. He was waiting for the perfect time to jump.
Report Post »Hephzibah
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:48pmThat’s silly…and made me laugh!
Report Post »Joseph28
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:41pmZero Tolerance. I know it wont solve every problem but it will help…. a lot.
Report Post »TheLascone
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:40pmAs Glenn says … Show me your friends … and I’ll show you your future …
Report Post »http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630227@N06/5544013082/in/photostream/
Annie Fields
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:40pmThere was an actor… I can’t remember his name but I can see his face in my mind (!) who said he saw the “test” flight guys before 911, remember? Gawd… What the h was his name?
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:51pmJames Woods
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:54pmRon Silver, I think, or perhaps James Woods. I remember both talking about such things shortly after 9/11.
Report Post »Banshee34
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:55pmJames Woods.
Report Post »Annie Fields
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:57pmJames Woods! Of course. Thanks gang. Shame on me, too, since he’s a local boy.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:58pmThat was James Wood , and his story checked out 100%
Report Post »muldrake24
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:39pmBQI: You’re right, it’s like would be burglars casing the place before the big night.
Report Post »End The Fed
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:39pmI am a strange person, but I‘ve always followed the crew’s instructions.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:38pmwhat if i were to go sit down where the attendants sit , i would have been stripped searched and held for days,then the d o j would press charges . so why not these idiots/???? o yeah muslims like the power they have to disrupt. i can not believe they were not questioned are at least searched.
Report Post »Red Meat
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:37pmMuslims should be banned from flying. Period.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:00pmNot a bad idea.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:15pmSo you’re trying to make all Tea Partiers look bad?
Yeah, I think I’m going with that.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:35pm@RED MEAT ~~~ I agree. They can all ride camels!
Report Post »1959
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:49pmAgreed. Or as Michael Savage says, “Muslim only flights.” I prefer the former though.
Report Post »Edct
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 5:25pmHow about just banned from breathing.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:36pmAnother muslim dry-run.
Report Post »Anonimouse
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:36pmMiddle eastern men making trouble on a plane? Well, I’m sure the TSA took naked pics of Granny and felt up all the little boys before boarding – so there was never any danger or anything to worry about.
Report Post »BQI
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:33pmCan anyone say….planning stages?
http://www.blackquillandink.com Conservative blog.
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:54pmplanning stages….. How did I do? Pretty amazing that little ole us can figure this out….
Report Post »GODBLESSOURCOUNTRY
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:57pmMy sentiments exactly…“training” mission.
Not unlike the “fake” bombs found on several flights in October 2010…btw, wasn’t one of those bombs real? The only caveat was they caught it in time.
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:03pmIf you don’t probe the defenses how will you know where the weaknesses are. Remember, they only have to get lucky once.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:39pmDry run
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:32pmman, this is almost like profiling. Can we do this? Are we sure it wasnt the middle aged white women that were passing the notes and not following instructions? Grandma in row 21B is up to something….
taxed
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:39pmMuslims acting funny on a plane? no way! Should we shortcut to calling the crew and airline a bunch of racists?
http://conservativepoliticalforum.com/index.php?board=1.0
Report Post »marhee9
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:41pmWe had better start profiling. Juan Williams got fired for talking about exactly what happened here. I get nervous too. There is a great Youtube video showing how radical some of these Muslim groups really are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRU63qCJkw
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:43pm….and were acting “strange.”……
_________________________________________________________________________________
Must have been liberals… they sure are strange.
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:47pmJust another “Victim” looking for a payout
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:48pmI can only summarize it based on the report one of two ways…as the facts are only given in general details, no thanks to the TSA who do not keep anyone informed of anything of any value…
Hopefully it was only someone having a mild medical problems…and with a doctor on hand plus an interpreter, it should have been managable.
Could this have been a group of people testing out any responses on how things are done by security on the plane or such?
Not enough info right now.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:49pmIf I had been on that plane I would have been nervous to say the least. The proper procedeures were followed by the crew and the offenders were removed from the plane. Was it a test of security? Maybe,but if not,there was much cause for concern.
Report Post »Curator_JDR
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:57pmEither the Muslims are mentally disintegrating (oxymoron to be sure) before our eyes or this is a careless profile case for CAIR.
Roots of Islam exposed on historic Israel National Radio interview: http://www.marcrubin.com/judean-eve.ivnu
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:59pmHere we go again, middle easterners act strange on a airplane. They should have been locked up and interrogated thoroughly. We are at war and we better start acting like it, or we risk a greater chance of another attack.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:00pmHow come there is NO cell phone picture of the event ?
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:02pmIt is a shame they have to land the plane to throw these people. There should be a way to jettison unruly passengers in flight at altitude…Just sayin’
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:06pmI wonder if these guys were pulled aside by the TSA and given the full treatment with body scanner and full patdown. I bet not!!!
Report Post »stifroc
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:07pmI dunno what I would have done if I were on this flight. Seeing all of this peculiar behavior I would have been all “wee-wee’d up”.
Report Post »SavingtheRepublic.com
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:08pmWell you know what this all means…. lil old ladies, children will be stripped searched because its “for your own protection”. All that comes to my mind is that scene from “Airplane” where ppl are going through security and they show the terrorists going through no problem.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:23pmWatch .. now they will sue the airline ….
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:25pmmarhee9
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:41pm
We had better start profiling.
——————————————————
Hello Marhee9, nice to meet someone using that old fashion problem solving tool once called “common sense”! Now if we could only get our government to think like you.
http://www.AmericasTeaPartyNews.com
Report Post »home_of_the_brave
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:29pmNext thing you know CAIR will come out with a statement condemning people for racial profiling. These guys will probably sue and win against United Airlines. But it would be true justice if the people aboard the plane sued these men for mental anguish and won. Does this qualify under the “see something, say something,” Janet is always promoting?
Report Post »BrownWaterVet
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:49pm@marhee9: That was a good video, thanks for the post.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:57pmRacist ……
Report Post »oldoldtimer
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 4:57pmWhere was one of the 4000 Sky marshalls that have never prevented any thing or caught any one?
Report Post »Rearden Steel
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 6:07pmThey could have just yelled out that the middle-eastern men voted for Scott Walker and any SEIU thugs on the plane would have taken care of them.
Report Post »bellasbrat
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 6:29pmYeah, grandma was knitting an afghan…..should have taken those knitting needles away from her!
Report Post »Anti_Spock
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 6:37pmWhy is anybody worried? They passed Neopolitano’s Trillion Dollar Security Screening… er I mean approved government molestation screening. Maybe thats what made them sick.
Report Post »waggie
Posted on March 30, 2011 at 7:11pmI’m sure they were just trying to face Mecca and pray…
Report Post »Bret
Posted on April 1, 2011 at 11:47pmIf a “white” person did that, they would have drug them off the plane.
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