JetBlue’s Steve Slater Gets Bail after Flipping Out on Plane
Steven Slater, a 39-year-old flight attendant for JetBlue Airways, lost his cool on Monday after he was insulted and cursed by a passenger. This led to the steward using foul language over the intercom, grabbing a beer, deploying the emergency chute and jumping off the plane onto the John F Kennedy Airport Runway. Later, he was arrested at his home and charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing, which holds a 7-year jail sentence.
On Tuesday, defense attorney Howard Turman said at Slater’s arraignment that a problem with a passenger started before the flight ever departed Pittsburgh for New York. Two female passengers were arguing over the space in the overhead compartments, during which Slater was hit by luggage in the head, it was explained. The issue was brought up again after the flight landed, when one of the women got upset over the bag that she had checked at the gate not being immediately available to her, Turman continued, adding that she cursed at Slater a lot.
Prosecutors also said that Slater talked to the passengers over the PA system during the incident. When he was finished, he said that he had had it. Turman noted that Slater has been under a lot of stress since his mom has lung cancer. After hearing the issue, the judge granted him a US$2,500 bail, but it’s unknown when he will be able to post it.
In a statement, JetBlue Airways said that they are working with Port Authority officers and the Federal Aviation Administration on the investigation. They added that the crew’s and passengers’ safety was never at risk.
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