One more reason why fractional flying is here to STAY

[sweptwingz]

Angry flight attendant charged with setting fire on plane 5/16/08 --- FARGO, North Dakota (AP) -- A flight attendant angry about his work route smuggled a lighter aboard an airplane and set a fire in a bathroom, forcing an emergency landing, authorities said Thursday. The Compass Airlines flight carrying 72 passengers and four crew members landed safely in Fargo on May 7 after smoke filled the back. No injuries were reported. The plane was flying from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan, authorities said. Eder Rojas, 19, appeared in court Thursday, following his arrest a day earlier in Minneapolis, and was ordered held without bail, prosecutors said. The charge of setting fire aboard a civil aircraft carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His public defender did not return a phone call seeking comment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim, who is prosecuting the case in Fargo, would not comment. Court documents said Rojas, of the Twin Cities suburb of Woodbury, told authorities he was upset at the airline for making him work the route. He is accused of taking a lighter with him through the security checkpoint, authorities said. "Rojas further stated that he was preparing his cart to serve the passengers, he set the cart up, went back to the lavatory and reached in with his right hand and lit the paper towels with the lighter," court documents said. Pilot Steve Peterka told authorities that an indicator light came on about 35 minutes into the flight, showing smoke in the rear bathroom. Peterka called Rojas, who was assigned passengers in the back of the plane, and asked him to check the bathroom, documents said. Rojas, another flight attendant and a passenger were credited with quickly putting out the flames with fire extinguishers, authorities said. Investigators later found a lighter in one of the overhead bins. Rojas confessed after authorities interviewed him, the complaint said. Compass is a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, based in Eagan, Minn. Rojas has been fired, said Northwest spokesman Rob Laughlin. Northwest did not say how long Rojas worked for the airline. FBI agent Ralph Boelter said Compass Airlines officials showed "extraordinary cooperation" in the investigation. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/15/plane.fire.charges.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

 

[Flex-ible]

Angry flight attendant charged with setting fire on plane 5/16/08 --- FARGO, North Dakota (AP) -- A flight attendant angry about his work route smuggled a lighter aboard an airplane and set a fire in a bathroom, forcing an emergency landing, authorities said Thursday. The Compass Airlines flight carrying 72 passengers and four crew members landed safely in Fargo on May 7 after smoke filled the back. No injuries were reported. The plane was flying from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan, authorities said. Eder Rojas, 19, appeared in court Thursday, following his arrest a day earlier in Minneapolis, and was ordered held without bail, prosecutors said. The charge of setting fire aboard a civil aircraft carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His public defender did not return a phone call seeking comment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim, who is prosecuting the case in Fargo, would not comment. Court documents said Rojas, of the Twin Cities suburb of Woodbury, told authorities he was upset at the airline for making him work the route. He is accused of taking a lighter with him through the security checkpoint, authorities said. "Rojas further stated that he was preparing his cart to serve the passengers, he set the cart up, went back to the lavatory and reached in with his right hand and lit the paper towels with the lighter," court documents said. Pilot Steve Peterka told authorities that an indicator light came on about 35 minutes into the flight, showing smoke in the rear bathroom. Peterka called Rojas, who was assigned passengers in the back of the plane, and asked him to check the bathroom, documents said. Rojas, another flight attendant and a passenger were credited with quickly putting out the flames with fire extinguishers, authorities said. Investigators later found a lighter in one of the overhead bins. Rojas confessed after authorities interviewed him, the complaint said. Compass is a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, based in Eagan, Minn. Rojas has been fired, said Northwest spokesman Rob Laughlin. Northwest did not say how long Rojas worked for the airline. FBI agent Ralph Boelter said Compass Airlines officials showed "extraordinary cooperation" in the investigation. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/15/plane.fire.charges.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

19 years old? I remember when flight attendents had to be NURSES! This is about as far as you can get from that. How can he even sell the little liquor bottles??? Perhaps if these companies had higher standards (wqhich would be reflected in higher pay) they might not have these problems!

Thank God I am not at a regional!

 

[HiSpeedFlyer]

19 years old? I remember when flight attendents had to be NURSES! This is about as far as you can get from that. How can he even sell the little liquor bottles??? Perhaps if these companies had higher standards (wqhich would be reflected in higher pay) they might not have these problems!

Thank God I am not at a regional!

sorry...you only need to be 18 (17 in some states) to serve alcohol.
On that note, regardless, this little sh#t should have never been in an airplane, and he should be thrown in the pokey for a good 5-10 yrs. to think about his ignorance.

 

[jehtplane]

19 years old? I remember when flight attendents had to be NURSES! This is about as far as you can get from that. How can he even sell the little liquor bottles??? Perhaps if these companies had higher standards (wqhich would be reflected in higher pay) they might not have these problems!

Thank God I am not at a regional!

What does that have to do with anything , if you are unstable you are unstable. Doesn't NASA have the highest standards out there, and look what that got them.......HMMM makes you think.

 

[blueridge71]

There is instability and there is immaturity. Often the two go hand in hand.

 

[skanza]

I agree

sorry...you only need to be 18 (17 in some states) to serve alcohol.
On that note, regardless, this little sh#t should have never been in an airplane, and he should be thrown in the pokey for a good 5-10 yrs. to think about his ignorance.

Well said.

p.s. I love your avatar and sig!

 

[dalegribble]

What an idiot. Immature and pissed off at life so he endangers innocent's crew and pax. Send him to the chair!

On a lighter note....I thought lighters were approved now?

 

[HiSpeedFlyer]

Well said.

p.s. I love your avatar and sig!

You are most certainly welcome, Skanza... that coming from Abigail, fan and author of both. Worldly in Daddy's mind more than most Mensa members out there.