The “Last Flight out of Dallas”

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First of all, let me start this post by saying I love the power of a blog. I love the citizen journalist and the ability to tell stories we wouldn’t otherwise know.

With that said, let me show you a message which was typed on a cell phone and delivered to a flight attendant on board a Delta flight from Dallas in May:

“If the guy in 20D is a Marshall disregard this msg. He has a torch that he lit and showed me. And he said his canister has a gas device that will make everyone on the plane pass out if there is danger. He also has a device that says is like a tazor. I will go sit back down. Do what you need to.”

That quote is from the blog, set up to tell this particular story, Delta2060. Titled “Last Flight out of Dallas,” the author of the blog was a passenger on board who was unlucky enough (or maybe, lucky enough) to sit next to a drunk passenger who had a small torch in his bag and apparently a canister of “gas.”

“Have you ever wondered if someone could get something on the plane they weren’t supposed to?” he said. My heart dropped…”I’m sure its possible…” I replied. “It is…”

He opened his book bag and brought out a silver metal torch-like item and put it near my leg. He clicked a button and a 4-6 inch blue flame shot out … I acted as if it was no big deal, though my heart was racing.

“That’s cool- what else do you have?” I said. He opened his bag and pulled out an item that looked similar to the end of a headset and told me it was like a tazor and could cause temporary paralysis…

And when the woman picked up the container the man said was carrying architectural drawings, “he said it was a canister filled with gas strong enough to make everyone on the plane pass out.” When she said she didn’t believe him and went to open the cylinder, “he freaked out and told me to stop.”

That’s when the blog author leaped into action. She claimed she needed to use the restroom, got up, typed out the above message on her cell phone, and handed it to the flight attendant seated in the back jumpseat. She goes on to say:

The three Delta flight attendants worked like well-trained federal agents. Completely calm and cool and ready to take action to protect the passengers on flight.

I went over details with them and asked them if I should return to my seat so he wouldn’t suspect anything.

They decided against it, and spoke with the ground and pilot to arrange an emergency landing in Memphis.

When we got to Memphis, they disguised the officers in ambulances and even brought out a stretcher!

The flight attendants did what they needed to — having the pilot divert the plane to Memphis for an emergency landing, get police on board dressed as paramedics and escort the man, who didn’t realize what was going on until he was on the ground — into custody.

To this woman in 20E, I applaud you. It’s people and passengers like you that bring situations to our attention so that it can be dealt with before becoming a larger problem. Though you may have thought “how unlucky am I to be seated next to this man” had it been anyone else, they might not have said something. I applaud your calmness, diligence and courage throughout the process. I hope Delta Airlines took care of you once the plane was on the ground. If they didn’t, hell, even if they did, drinks are on me if we ever cross paths!

You put it best in your blog,

God puts specific people in specific places for specific times.

I believe this was a divine appointment.

Who knows if he would’ve talked so freely with someone else… who knows what’s in the canister..

Definitely take a moment and read the whole account of the flight on her blog “Last Flight out of Dallas.” It’s truly and amazing story.

UpUp&AGay News | Article source: http://jalopnik.com/5806307/how-this-man-flirted-his-way-into-a-lifetime-ban-from-delta-airlines

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