Makes you proud to be an American...right?

[baby.driver]

SALT LAKE CITY –– An airline passenger who allegedly got up to go the bathroom less than 30 minutes before landing became the first person arrested under a new federal flight regulation adopted for the Olympics.



Richard Bizarro, 59, could get up to 20 years in prison on charges of interfering with a flight crew.



Bizarro was on a Delta flight from Los Angeles on Saturday when he allegedly left his seat 25 minutes before landing, despite two warnings from the captain to the 90 passengers to stay put as required under the 30-minute rule adopted for Salt Lake City by the Federal Aviation Administration.



Because of the incident, air marshals aboard the plane ordered all passengers to put their hands on their heads for the rest of the flight.



Bizarro was jailed overnight and released on his own recognizance



Authorities said a flight attendant instructed Bizarro to return to his seat immediately after he left the bathroom. She said Bizarro, who is 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, ignored her orders and stared at her for about a minute before returning to his seat, according to the FBI.



The incident was seen by two of three undercover air marshals on board, the FBI said. One of the agents said he saw Bizarro give what appeared to be a "thumbs up" to another passenger as he returned to his seat, prompting the marshals to take control of the cabin.



The Salt Lake City rule requiring no passenger movement during the last 30 minutes went into effect Feb. 5. It already had been in effect for flights to Reagan International Airport in Washington.



© 2002 The Associated Press

 

[Scollins]

Well, the dumb*** shouldn't have ignored the warnings! Should he get 20 years? No, I don't think so, but the night in jail will probably scare him, a lot.



People, DON'T MESS AROUND ON AN AIRPLANE! If they say don't leave your seat for the last 30 minutes of the flight, DON'T LEAVE YOUR ******* SEAT! It is as simple as that.

 

[baby.driver]

Ah freedom rings, don't it ?

 

[tgbol]

He should have asked for a can to pee in!

 

[Sregorb]

Darn right it rings!

If I recall correctly that's "up to 20 years" leaving a wide area for the courts to decide appropriate punishment. Maybe he just needs to be remided what's more important, one single life of ego or the vastly outnumbering majority of innocents on that flight that had to put up with the repurcussions of his actions.



It's great they have that. His freedom to disrupt flights and infringe on the rights/protection of the other passengers ended when he chose to be a jerk after exiting the bathroom. If it was a bonafide trip or medical issue, fine, get in, get out and get back. Doesn't sound like he cooperated, does it?



Sounds like this moron fit the mold for "living one's life at the expense of others. "



Brian

 

[baby.driver]

It's a bullpoop rule to begin with.

What is all this airport security crap for then. They already looked up everyones bung hole before they got on the plane right?

You can keep making excuses for this police state all the way to the concentration camps if you want to.



Jay

 

[NVR FNSH]

If you feel the rule infringes upon your individual rights then drive. But I forgot, the speed limits you have to obey while driving are the ploy of the liberal/socialist/communist left and are aimed at subjugating the upstanding individualists on the right.



Give me a f'ing break. You probably cheered when you heard about the shoe bomber and the guy that got wacked over the head with the ax because the fact that the passengers/crew subdued those guys showed gumption and individualism. Hell, if everybody on the plane was armed - concealed carry, it's my 2nd amendment right - those two probably wouldn't be alive to suck up your tax dollars. Gee, you think the other passengers on those planes might not be alive either because the gun fire took out a control line... .



Brian

 

[illflem]

I agree with Jay. Even though the guy was obviously an a-hole what's the big deal, do they think he was in the john fashioning a weapon out of TP? A lot of this new homeland security feels like the beginning of a police state to me. I have to wonder if everyone here who "bombs" their engine is now on a FBI watch list.

 

[Sregorb]

Price

It's a small price to pay for the good of the majority... .....



How many of the people on the NY/DC flights would give anything to replay that flight and change the outcome?



It doesn't matter anymore if the people don't have a gun and have been put thru security, or as you so elequontly put it, "looked up everyones bung hole". Just ask how many people on that flight where the guy kicked in the door were going, "Oh well, he doesn't have a gun or a box cutter... we'll be fine then. "



Sure we'd all love to have more freedom to do whatever we want but where does it cross the line? An ounce of prevention (or inconvenience) is well worth the piece of mind... ... . and better chance of stopping a problem from becoming a bigger problem.



Brian

 

[Sregorb]

illflem

I agree that everything has extremes. If laws/rules are not balanced with common sense then it becomes ridiculous and oppressive. I also believe that we are nowhere even close to how bad it could be... ... Hope we never have to get closer.

I agree the guys a jerk, maybe the agent went too far in requiring all the passengers to hold hands on head... but... . bottom line is the flight landed with everyone alive and fine. We can second guess him all we want in hindsight, but WE WEREN'T THERE! Therefore, for all we know he/she may have prevented a worse situation.



Brian

 

[Champane Flight]

Still sore..

Everyone is still a little sore from the wound we got 9/11. I know that my wife and I will not be flying for a long time. Not because of this tradgedy, but because of the hassle it takes to fly.



This is a prime example, the guy was a jerk most likely. Or was he just in dire straights? Maybe he just had to go and got sick and tired of some stewardess in his face. You know, people pay to take these flights and resent being told when and where they can pee or get up and down to stretch. Thirty minutes is a long time to hold it if you have to go. I know my wife would have knocked the &%$# out of anyone between the bathroom and her if she had to go. The security on airplanes is being exagerated because you have a bunch of college educated (nothing against education, just lack of common sense) people in a new buearacrcy with nothing to do. Except think up new ways to screw in a lightbulb. Instead of putting 10 billion in a new bueracacy, they should have gotten the new pilots doors on the aircraft... . This is still not done! They did put a bar across them, however you can still get in (last weeks example). They can take flying the freindly skys and shove it. I will drive my old Blue truck. .

 

[Sregorb]

You got it. As if we even needed a reason to drive our trucks..... I plan on driving my truck over flying any day. The fun is not in the destination, it's the trip there... .



Brian

 

[The Sequel]

Let's not confuse "freedom" with the ability to do anything we want. Most likely, this guy just decided the rules were not important enough to apply to him. We seem to think that we can do anything we want if we don't think the reasons are good enough. If I decide to take the air filter off my truck because I don't think it's necessary, then I'm the only idiot that it affects. However, if I decide brakes are a waste of money, when I crash into you and your family will my "rights and freedoms" be enough that it won't get you mad? I agree that we should not give up true rights and freedoms in the defense of liberty. However, often times that is not even what is being discussed.

 

[DRR-24V]

BabyDriver's Right !

I am proud to be an American. This passenger is a loser. I am sure they advised of the 30 minute rule and he had time to use the head prior to this. He was testing the system. I would have been very concerned with him and the other person he signaled. Searching before boarding means nothing. Cleaning crews and others can secrete weapons anywhere. The rules are trying to protect us, if you don't like it, don't fly. You guy's mouthing off about a Police State tickle me. You have no idea what a Police State is. Nazi Germany in WW2, now that's a Police State.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

#@$%!#@$%!

The 30 minute rule is BS. I fly every week. . 50 weeks a year, oodles of frequent flyer miles. When you gotta go, you gotta go. He probably was a jerk but that wouldn't stop him from needing to pi$$.



I go through security all the time. . they started bomb checking your shoes if they check your bag. It just slows things down even more. You could get on a plane w/about anything if you really wanted too.



I get tired of standing in huge lines just to find out some one got through security somewhere w/a weapon.



I used to carry a SOG tool and a swiss army knife. now only the criminals are armed. I'm 6'2" and weigh about 245. God help any raghead that thinks he's gonna take a plane w/anything less than a gun. I'll send him to meet Ala in person and make the trip as painful as possible.



If the security was effective it wouldn't bother me. I hate to put up w/the inconvenience just to give a safe 'feeling' to the public.



They 'feel' safe I get SCREWED#@$%!

 

[LSMITH]

How about when you get to the security check point, and they have the rope maze stretched out for you. During busy times at larger airports there can be 1000 people or more in the lines and ZERO security measures to get to that point. What in the heck is keeping a terrorist or some domestic psycho from unleashing gunfire or a bomb in there? 1000 people in maybe 2500 square feet with nowhere to go if they needed to, think about it. You can also guarantee that no one else in those lines will be armed in any way, they are good honest people that are trying to follow the rules. Mine and your personal security has been completely eliminated in that situation. Making me safer is not taking away any possible means I may have to defend myself!!!!



Why are flight crews not trained properly and armed?

Ammunition designed to be fired on a pressurized aircraft in flight has been around for over 20 years. Cut a control line? No, even

if it did there are redundant systems to take over. We cannot be trusted by our government, that is why.



Why am I forbidden to be armed on a flight?

I would gladly ensure the ammunition in my weapon was the correct type to ensure the safety of the rest of the passengers if I did need to fire it aboard the flight. If you and I and whoever else wanted to be armed were armed what are the odds that anyone is going to try to take over the flight or hurt anyone else? This would make a bomb the only real threat to all of the people on the flight, bombs are a heck of a lot easier to screen out than anything else. You and I are not trusted by our government is why we cannot be armed.



Since when did the government need to trust us? We supposedly grant the power to our government right? WRONG, our government DICTATES what can and cannot happen. The people no longer can determine what the government does. Our government has spun out of control and is now autonomous, it will take what it needs to sustain itself with no possibility of repercussions. It dictates what we can and cannot do in our everyday lives, it is no longer about protecting the individual liberties from the desires of others. People want to feel good and feel safe, it is human nature, but when they decided that they wanted to take no personal responsibility in their own security we as a nation gave up the very pricipals this country was founded on.



Spend some time in europe, in the supposedly democratic nations. Their brand of socialism is where we are going and we are nearly there. This "security" in the airports is just another brick laid on the road to that.



Sorry for the rant, I started typing and WOW. It is my honest opinion.

 

[NVR FNSH]

LSMITH,

Government is not a living automous entity. It is made up of PEOPLE that were elected/appointed to those positions. Government CAN NOT do anything - only the people in govt can do something. I've never seen 'Government' listed on a ballot. Have you?



I agree with you about flight crews being trained - needs to happen. I also believe that instead of allowing passengers to carry firearms onboard there should be armed, undercover security personell on board each flight. Look at El Al - Israeli national airline. A well trained coordinated response in a close quarters environment, such as an airplane, will be much more effective than a bunch of random civilians trying to take down a suspect.



Brian

 

[THerman]

"I've never seen 'Government' listed on a ballot. Have you? "



I have... . DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN..... not joe blow, jim dandy..... THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO BELONG TO A GROUP!!!!!



Read..... really read the constitution..... 90% of the stuff we put up with the government (house, senate, president) were NOT given the power to do..... It get done, through force and coersion..... DO THIS OR no MONEY... . BIG FINES... . FEDERAL TIME... ... etc... .



Now that said... I do think the rules should be followed... . this guy deserves whatever he gets.....



But you are just plain blind if you think that congress is just a bunch of individuals!!!! They might be, but they get told what to do by their respective parties... . OR ELSE!!!

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

Government is not a living automous entity. It is made up of PEOPLE that were elected/appointed to those positions. Government CAN NOT do anything - only the people in govt can do something.

Have you heard of people getting kicked out of their own homes in the name of 'iminent domain'? The gov't has the power to do anything it wants and there's nothing YOU can do to stop them. Most people that do things in the gov't are not elected they are hired abd getting them fired is near impossible.



If you want to see hell on earth **** off someone at the IRS!!!

 

[LSMITH]

Brian, tell me that if the government decided that it needed to declare a police state that we could do anything about it. Tell me that if more money was needed in the eyes of our government that they would not take it from us, and that we can stop this if they did.



Our government no longer serves us, we serve it. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to see that.



I fully realize that the individuals were elected or appointed by elected officials, it is collectively that they make an autonomous monster, a monster that can dictate without repercussions. They are in all cases elected as the lesser of the evils in the choices available. They take more than they determined that they need and tell us it is a "surplus", when in reality the federal income taxes (all of them) are unconstitutional. Too many of us are too busy trying to make a living to fight them, maybe if the unconstitutional taxes were lifted we would not have to work as hard and long. Our federal government was founded as a union of states, to collectively pool the power of the states for trade and security, not to dictate the everyday lives of Americans. So many of our citizens have a warm fuzzy feeling because they have no personal responsibility for their own welfare that they simply do not care that the government is out of control and that they are subservient to it. MHO.