A passenger tried to force his way into the cockpit of a United Airlines plane on a flight from Miami to Buenos Aires, but was subdued after the co-pilot hit him over the head with a small ax. Pablo Morcira, a banker from Uruguay, was restrained by the flight crew and later arrested by police after the flight landed in Buenos Aires. United Airlines Flight 855 took off with 157 people aboard. Mr Morcira, 28, began kicking the cockpit door about five hours into the flight, as the airplane flew over Brazil. The captain opened the cockpit door and Morcira made it inside. The co-pilot grabbed a small axe and hit Mr Morcira in the head. Orihuela said Morcira did not appear drunk and was not armed. Mr Morcira was treated for his injuries and was lucid and in stable condition. He will be charged with interfering with a flight crew and flown back to Miami today.
Beaning me with an ax usually gets my attention, right of the bat. It's becoming pretty obvious that aircrews and passengers aren't going to put up with nastiness on flights anymore, regardless of the number of boxcutters. It makes my little heart go pitty-pat every time one of the goofs is roughly handled. This is not a good time to be a loon. Unless we get soft and forgetful, always a danger, the "good old days" may be in the past for them. |