Praying passenger removed from plane

[tammym1972]

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6087053

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A passenger who left his seat to pray in the back of a plane before it took off, ignoring flight attendants' orders to return, was removed by an airport security guard, a witness and the airline said.

 

[immersedingrace]

He should have planned his prayer better or prayed in his seat. All passengers need to be in their seats before a plan takes off. No reason why he couldn't have stayed in his seat and prayed quietly.

 

[uberd00b]

What a numpty.

 

[ladyt28]

I absolutely support what that airline did. A particular religious tradition cannot trump safety rules. He had no right believing that he was exempt from being expected to return to his seat. I mean, why weren't his friends praying too if it absolutely HAD to be at that moment?

 

[Foolish_Fool]

This seems kinda stupid. The story says he finished his prayers, talked with the attendants, and then security came to get him. He explained that he was done and would be able to take his seat, yet they still escorted him off. Sounds like it caused more of a delay to remove him than to simply let him take his seat.

 

[Morcova]

What a nutjob.

 

[diekatzen]

When you're told to take a seat onboard an airplane, you take a seat. Maybe escorting him off if he was ready to comply was unnecessary, but people are edgy about air travel. It's easier to just go with the rules.

 

[Morcova]

When you're told to take a seat onboard an airplane, you take a seat. Maybe escorting him off if he was ready to comply was unnecessary, but people are edgy about air travel. It's easier to just go with the rules.

I don't think it was at all unnecessary, that whole flight people would have been thinking, "Ok this weird looking guy refused to get up from his prayers... is that because he was planning on them being the last prayers he said on this earth?"

 

[horuhe00]

Wierd situation.

 

[diekatzen]

I don't think it was at all unnecessary, that whole flight people would have been thinking, "Ok this weird looking guy refused to get up from his prayers... is that because he was planning on them being the last prayers he said on this earth?"

That's a good point!

 

[flicka]

When I was on a cross-atlantic flight several years ago a group of men sat on the floor and did some praying during the flight. The flight crew seemed to act like it was routine and they didn't get in the way of anyone.

 

[immersedingrace]

When I was on a cross-atlantic flight several years ago a group of men sat on the floor and did some praying during the flight. The flight crew seemed to act like it was routine and they didn't get in the way of anyone.

I wouldn't have a problem with them sitting on the floor or praying while in flight. That wasn't the problem from what I understand. The problem was that it was time to take off and he wasn't following safety directions.

 

[TexasSky]

For Christians, when and where we pray is not the same issue that it is for Muslims.

As to timing it better. No one can time when their flight will or will not take off in this day and age. You go to the airport expecting some kind of delay.

I do think that there must have been some way of compromising that would not have delayed the flight, or violated rules, but I also understand that the man felt this was a requirement of his personal belief system. I respect that, but I respect the airline's right to enforce their own corporate policy in regards to something like this.

 

[Avatar]

For Christians, when and where we pray is not the same issue that it is for Muslims.

He was Jewish.

Regardless, do what the flight attendant says. Causing any sort of disruption on an airplane is met with zero tolerance these days.

 

[LouTheWicked]

I can just imagine him rolling backwards down the aisle as the plane lifts off.

 

[interpreter]

Shame on United. He was done with his prayers when they escorted him off the plane.

 

[Macano]

This seems kinda stupid. The story says he finished his prayers, talked with the attendants, and then security came to get him. He explained that he was done and would be able to take his seat, yet they still escorted him off. Sounds like it caused more of a delay to remove him than to simply let him take his seat.

As a pilot, I would have kicked him off also, and have done so for similar circumstances - though none involved praying, not that it would make a difference. The question becomes if he is willing to disregard instructions before the aircraft has pushed back, what may happen once we are airborne and are all locked up together in this tin can.

When I was on a cross-atlantic flight several years ago a group of men sat on the floor and did some praying during the flight. The flight crew seemed to act like it was routine and they didn't get in the way of anyone.

It was already said, but the issue wasn't the praying, the issue was the refusal to comply with instructions. That alone is justification to be removed, most especially if still at the gate.

Honestly, why is this even in the news? This sort of thing happens many times each and every day!

 

[wanderingone]

This seems kinda stupid. The story says he finished his prayers, talked with the attendants, and then security came to get him. He explained that he was done and would be able to take his seat, yet they still escorted him off. Sounds like it caused more of a delay to remove him than to simply let him take his seat.

I think escorting him was a response to his not following the request.. even though he was then willing to take a seat when he decided he was ready the flight crew does not have to accept any passenger who won't take direction.. in their minds this guy might cause ongoing problems. Their action seems appropriate to me.

 

[Avatar]

Well said, Macano. That should put an end to this debate.

 

[wanderingone]

When I was on a cross-atlantic flight several years ago a group of men sat on the floor and did some praying during the flight. The flight crew seemed to act like it was routine and they didn't get in the way of anyone.

And they wouldn't have an issue during flight, as long as it wasn't at a point when passengers had to be in their seats for one reason or another. It wasn't the prayer in my opinion that was the problem here.. certainly flight crews flying out of nyc are not unfamiliar with Hasidic Jews.. I think it was his refusal to follow the direction at that moment. If he had waited until the flight was under way they probably would have paid him no attention.