Woman ejected from Jetstar flight for refusing to stow handbag

[feb01mel]

Woman ejected from Jetstar flight for refusing to stow handbag

TAIPEI - A woman passenger departing from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport for Singapore was asked to leave a Jetstar Asia flight after she refused to comply with a flight attendant's instructions to place her carry-on handbag under her front seat.

The woman surnamed Chang and her daughter got onboard a passenger plane of Jetstar Asia that was scheduled to take off at 7.55pm last Saturday.

But she refused to follow the instructions to place her handbag under the front seat as all other passengers did, saying she had cash inside the bag.

Unable to persuade Chang, the flight attendant sought help from the captain, who told her to “get out” the plane.

Taking the captain's words in English as a public insult, Chang said she will hire a lawyer to sue the pilot.

The conflict caused a delay of 90 minutes as the plane took off at 9.25pm without Chang and her daughter, who were led off the plane by aviation police.

Most passengers showed no sympathy for Chang.

Aviation police officers at the Taoyuan airport said there are no standard regulations concerning where to place handbags aboard the planes, but passengers should comply with instructions from crew members for safety reasons.

Executives of Jetstar Asia explained that the practice of asking air passengers to place their carry-on bags under seats is mainly for the sake of flight safety especially during takeoff and landing.

Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based budget airline and is one of the leading players in the regional aviation industry. The airline was launched by Qantas Airways as a low cost airline in the Australian domestic market to save flight costs for customers.

http://www.relax.com.sg/relax/news/4..._by_pilot.html

[sqdazz]

Good on the crew for standing their ground.

She makes herself look even more ridiculous by threatening to sue! If she's worried about her public image perhaps she should have just done what she was told in the first place.

Jetstar

[scooby5]

And everybody keeps cash in their carry-on bag so that excuse doesn't have wings either.

All she did, also, was highlight to everybody else on the plane "she had money" actually making her a target suggesting she had more money than anybody else.

[Nick C]

There's a video clip of the incident.

http://tw.video.news.yahoo.com/video...-quot-22117874

[StarG]

There's a video clip of the incident.

http://tw.video.news.yahoo.com/video...-quot-22117874

Thanks for the link.
Wow, it seems she recorded the incident herself?

[Guy Betsy]

She's got bleached blond hair.. and wow, by the way she screams and yells.. is she a Taiwanese politician???

Now that this is news.. it will be very interesting when she does go into Singapore with her 'cash'... if she doesn't declare it.

And wow again, when the Captain asks her to get out, she still screams and yells that she won't ! Yes of course she is a security risk at that point.

I wonder if she'll get a refund.. or better yet.. will Jetstar blacklist her from flying with them every again.

[kapitan]

maybe a wife of a local yakuza chief..... money, plenty? why was she on a budget airline and in Y??

and yes, I remember, I did told some people to get off my ship before because they posed a safety risk... hahhaa...

[sqdazz]

love the Captain! fantastic! GET OFF!

[flyguy]

yes it a small breach - but the crew reacted strongly and cause a 90 min delay to their flight. However it doesnt really cause too much of a "security threat" as its more a small saftey issue as its just a soft handbag - and a couple of yrs back when i had to fly extensively to China cities and usually on the largest airline in S'pore and on few occassions had seen female pax usually taking things out of their handbags or even on caaier bags when the crew are all seated whilst the plane is taxiing for take-off. Similiarly pax with a child and using the child seat restar4int loosely buckled is more of a "injury risk" in the uneventful take-off incident; or holding on to your glass drink in J whilst taking off or landing.

[sealalula]

Well done to the captain !

[wsssaero]

yes it a small breach - but the crew reacted strongly and cause a 90 min delay to their flight. However it doesnt really cause too much of a "security threat" as its more a small saftey issue as its just a soft handbag - and a couple of yrs back when i had to fly extensively to China cities and usually on the largest airline in S'pore and on few occassions had seen female pax usually taking things out of their handbags or even on caaier bags when the crew are all seated whilst the plane is taxiing for take-off. Similiarly pax with a child and using the child seat restar4int loosely buckled is more of a "injury risk" in the uneventful take-off incident; or holding on to your glass drink in J whilst taking off or landing.

There are rules which the crew have to be followed. If the crew didn't advise the pax to comply they might end up in trouble for not doing so. And if something DID happen because the bag was not stowed properly the blame would be back on the crew and airline. It's not all that hard to stow a bag for takeoff and it's not an unreasonable request either.

[Guy Betsy]

No way in hell is she even going to get a mention in court ! Captain's orders are final. Actually why wasn't she hauled off in cuffs and stuff?

[flyguy]

dont think the situation warrant such a strong measure of handcuffing - as its just she refused to stow her handbag not that she is a real security threat or a terrorist threat.

[SilverChris]

I'm puzzled, why did the lady insist "that is a lifejacket under the seat! Not a handbag!" when the FA showed her the safety card. I'm equally puzzled why is she so worried that she'll lose her cash stowing her handbag. As if someone would grab it and jump off the plane IMO, Jetstar should be the one bringing this matter to court.

Oh and are my ears playing tricks on me? I thought I heard the reporter say they were bound for Malaysia.

[cscs1956]

This is a welcome move by the airline.
In fact they should stop those who carry those travel size bag on board too. Some of these bag are so heavy that even one have difficulties to put it to the top cabin.