Don't know if this is something that maybe new or not.
From FNT to ATL today. FA calls up and tells us that "I’ve had about 4 passengers come up to me and tell me that there is a man of Middle-Eastern descent who seems to be chanting something and the passengers are feeling uneasy” I told her to just keep an eye on him and make sure that she had someone in mind back there incase something went down and to keep us posted. She finished her service and called us back telling us that another person came up and told her that he was using a cell phone. (This is at FL290) She then told us that she told him to turn it off and he asked her how she knew he had a cell phone on. He refused to turn it off initially and got up and went to the lav. She said he was in there for like 10 min. This was a little too much for us, so we diverted and had the authorities meet us.
He was pulled off the airplane, we deplaned and searched the aircraft. We found nothing.
The suspect had no checked baggage and only one small carry on that was a duffle bag that the cops said had very little in it. This guy had this little bag and was going from FNT to DFW via ATL.
When the police took him off the airplane he never made eye contact with them and did not even question why he was being taken off.
When we finally get back to ATL the FA tells us that on of the passengers told her some more of the story. Turns out that when she told him to turn the cell phone off and he finally did, he turned it back on as soon as she was back at the front. Needless to say the passengers were more than happy with the diversion.
So I say all that to say that we think this may have been a surveillance type mission. Perhaps to see at what altitude a cell phone will work, or even how far they can push a crew before they react. Or something. Keep your eyes out. Who knows what may be next.
From FNT to ATL today. FA calls up and tells us that "I’ve had about 4 passengers come up to me and tell me that there is a man of Middle-Eastern descent who seems to be chanting something and the passengers are feeling uneasy” I told her to just keep an eye on him and make sure that she had someone in mind back there incase something went down and to keep us posted. She finished her service and called us back telling us that another person came up and told her that he was using a cell phone. (This is at FL290) She then told us that she told him to turn it off and he asked her how she knew he had a cell phone on. He refused to turn it off initially and got up and went to the lav. She said he was in there for like 10 min. This was a little too much for us, so we diverted and had the authorities meet us.
He was pulled off the airplane, we deplaned and searched the aircraft. We found nothing.
The suspect had no checked baggage and only one small carry on that was a duffle bag that the cops said had very little in it. This guy had this little bag and was going from FNT to DFW via ATL.
When the police took him off the airplane he never made eye contact with them and did not even question why he was being taken off.
When we finally get back to ATL the FA tells us that on of the passengers told her some more of the story. Turns out that when she told him to turn the cell phone off and he finally did, he turned it back on as soon as she was back at the front. Needless to say the passengers were more than happy with the diversion.
So I say all that to say that we think this may have been a surveillance type mission. Perhaps to see at what altitude a cell phone will work, or even how far they can push a crew before they react. Or something. Keep your eyes out. Who knows what may be next.
