Paris-to-Atlanta Flight Diverted To Maine Airport

[sabra]

Source: CBS News/AP

(AP) BANGOR, Maine (AP) - The Transportation Security Administration says a flight from Paris to Atlanta has been diverted to an airport in Maine after federal air marshals responded to a passenger causing a disturbance.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters says Delta Air Lines Flight 273 is scheduled to land at the Bangor International Airport on Tuesday afternoon. He says the plane is an Airbus 320, but he doesn't know how many passengers and crew are aboard.

Further details aren't available.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/27/ap/national/main6437493.shtml

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more:

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=10490282

U.S. Official Says Air Marshals Have Suspect in Custody; Claimed to Have Backpack Bomb

April 27, 2010—

A Delta flight from Paris to Atlanta was diverted to Bangor, Maine Tuesday after federal air marshals took into custody a suspect who was causing a disturbance, according to U.S. officials and a statement from the Transportation Security Administration.

The Delta airlines website shows flight #273 "diverted."

One U.S. law enforcement official said that two air marshals were "sitting on the guy's chest" as the plane landed.

A Delta spokesperson confirmed the plane had been diverted because of a "disruptive passenger" who was taken into custody by air marshals.

The plane, an Airbus 330, was scheduled to leave Charles DeGaulle airport at 1:30 Paris time and arrive in Atlanta at 5:25 p.m. EST.

U.S. officials briefed on the incident said the suspect's backpack and shoes had been moved to an area of the aircraft where a blast would do the least damage.

One official said "we don't know if it's some knucklehead or a real threat and we won't know until the plane is on the ground."

[virgogal]

1. Airbus A320 in one article,A330 in another. Someone didn't fact check.

[Cal Carpenter]

2. And someone else said 'knucklehead'

I think it'll be awhile before we know much of anything accurate.

For some reason 'knucklehead' cracked me up.

[high density]

4. It must be an A330

No way they're doing Paris - ATL on an A320.

[regnaD kciN]

12. My thoughts, too...

When I read the first story, I was like :wtf: Running an A320 on a transatlantic flight (particularly one to Atlanta, which would be a longer route than to, say, New York or Boston) would be like doing the same thing with a 737 -- no flippin' way.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. There would be a lot less of this shit if the airlines offered

Valium for nervous passengers instead of alcohol.

[virgogal]

5. I'm going to get reamed here,but I think alcohol should be banned.

I was on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago and we got delayed for about an hour after boarding.. They handed out free drinks as compensation. The two guys in the row I was in proceeded to get fairly drunk before we were in the air more than an hour,and they kept ordering drinks.

They never caused trouble but it was a most uncomfortable flight.

If they can ban smoking they sure as hell can ban drinking.

[progressoid]

6. Or at least limit it.

I too have been on a flight where a passenger had a few too many. Luckily he wasn't an angry drunk. Just a loud and obnoxious one. It was embarrassing.

[petronius]

9. Considering they can charge $6-8 a drink, I'm guessing that airlines

might resist that idea. Flight attendants might approve, however (unless they get to raid the drink cart before going to the hotel)...

[jberryhill]

10. I had a flight diverted because a drunk passenger passed out

Agree.

[rsmith6621]

11. Drinking Is Revenue....

....for the airlines....They aint giving it up..

[Renew Deal]

7. You can't say "bomb" on an airplane!

[Hawkeye-X]

8. The only Airbus 320 I am aware of that does Atlantic crossings

is the British Airways 1 and 2, takes off from London City, UK to Shannon Ireland for a full fuel stop, then flies to New York JFK. The return flight is a nonstop to London City, UK.

EDIT: Its actually the Airbus 318, same family.

[Blue_Tires]

13. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing harsher penalties for this shit

Everytime some jackoff cracks up over some perceived or real threat, air travel becomes THAT much more of a torture for the rest of us...