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Drunk man forces Moscow-Atlanta flight to divert to Canada

by Josh Lew (RSS feed) on Jan 6th 2009 at 9:00AM

Yesterday, a Delta Airlines flight from Moscow to Atlanta had to make an unexpected stop in Newfoundland after the pilot decided that an unruly passenger had to be removed from the plane. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were waiting at the gate in the town of Gander. They immediately took the man into custody.

Few details about his behavior were given, but he was said to be drunk, aggressive, and unruly. However, the man did not injure any other passengers. The flight arrived in Atlanta about 4 hours late. There were more than 200 people on board.

Canadian authorities are expected to file charges against the man, who is still being held by the Mounties. His identity has not yet been released. A passenger told an Atlanta newspaper that he noticed an empty bottle of Chivas (the 1.5 liter variety) next to the man's seat. Other passengers said that the man had also taken prescription medication along with the alcohol.

These women weren't drunk -- but they did cause a stir in the air. Click the pics to find out what they did.

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

RAS Jan 8th 2009 8:23AM

This jack ass should be forced to pay every passenger $100 for the aggrevation and delay. They will boot you off prior to take off for a tee shirt slogan but you can bring 1.5 liters of scotch on board and get twisted without a problem...go figure

nancy egan Jan 8th 2009 9:49AM

Passengers aren't allowed to drink their own liquor on board...but passengers, especially from Moscow, have become very good at hiding it from flight attendants until their behavior becomes obvious. Believe me, we are always looking for violators..Moscow is the worst.

DoctorBob Jan 8th 2009 8:34AM

Obviously this author has never flown on a Russian airline before. Most Russians passengers are like this guy in the story. They drink Brandy or Vodka by the water glass, which the FA's readily provide. They'll do this at 8 AM, when the rest of us are asking for coffee. They become loud, rude, and a bit aggressive. If they find out you are an American, they will insult you or try to trip you as you walk down the aisle to go to the restroom. Russians are new to this "passenger" thing, and have awhile to go before they find out their usual drunken behavior isn't accepted outside Russia.

bleu Jan 8th 2009 10:04AM

"Their usual drunk behavior"? I hate to disagree with you on this lovely morning but the average Russian is not what you describe as "average" when it comes to Alcohol. Vodka and Brandy flows out of the same bottles in Russia and America, in fact, all over the world except in the countries hated at present, mideast.

j.l Jan 8th 2009 8:37AM

i thought you had to put any alcohol in checked luggage, i thought you couldn't take it with you in carry-on??? wow. me and him would have had to fight, nuff said. i dont need a-holes on any of the planes i am riding to make anything worse for me when i travel. jesus.

DJ Jan 8th 2009 10:26AM

You can buy it in the duty free shop AFTER you've passed through security. Therefore, you can take it on the plane with you

Cynthia Jan 8th 2009 9:33AM

Drunks--you gotta hate them. If they would just shut up and sit still it wouldn't be so awful. I'd like to hear more details because I can't understand why these planes turn around just because of some obnoxious drunk. I hate it when one selfish out-of-control ass.... ruins a nice trip for all the other passengers. God, would I be ranting mad if my flight was delayed for 4 hours. People are idiots. Why didn't the staff throw the handcuffs on this freak and lock him up in one of the toilets. I hope this drunk has the book thrown at him.

Thomas Frobose Jan 8th 2009 10:23AM

People who disrupt a flight to the point where the plane needs to make an unscheduled stop should be made to pay the landing, and airport facilities useage fees incurred by the airline in addition to being arrested. These fees are passed on, and included in the airline ticket prices that we all pay, and I personally do not like paying higher prices because some people can't control themselves, or think the rules don't apply to them.

joekiker Feb 28th 2009 5:33AM

OH B.S. Ruskys cant outdrink us Americans I start my day with some grey goose french Vodka, skip the coffee, then do some meth when I am drowsey from the fifth of vodka.... take some perks, methadone, and snort soem heroin if handy then smoke some PCP all the while guzzuling more vodka, if I spot a russian on my plane, I will challenge the Ruskie to a slap the bitch contest, then I slap his drunkin Russian ass and his fat ass loud mouth wife if she is on the PLANE, AND HOPEFULLY ITS A RUSSIAN PLANE THEN THE PILOT IS DRUNKER THAn we are and if our president or ex Pres. BUSH is flying then you can be sure the plane is flying backwards, which is a difficult stunt to pull when ya have to utilize the backward thrust engines usually used to slow the plane upon landing leave that bit of insanity to bush look at what he unaccomplished in just 8 years of total insanity.....our country was in reverse thrust!!! and we have no freaking idea where the hell were going, probably some outpost in ANTARTICA since I am dressed in bermuda shorts if I had worn my heavy coat and mittens we would be landing on the equator where even m&ms melt in the bag before they get to your hand>>>>>>>>> back to that drunkiun Rusky, if I hadnt beat him yet to the death I would open up another bottle of grey goose vodka and drink to the health of all the idiots in the sea......did I say that!!!???

jesusfreak Jan 8th 2009 10:06AM

DRUNK hmm what have I been saying this whole time if you resist the temptations you won't get into so much trouble. DUUUJHHHHH.
love Lucy

Andre Jan 8th 2009 10:12AM

Interesting how everyone immediately jumps to conclussion. Just because a flight was from Russian city what makes you think that the unruly passenger was Russian. As far as i can tell from the article his name was not released. So stereotypical. And why would we drink Chivas...we would find something better to get drunk on.

DoctorBob Jan 8th 2009 10:17AM

Ya Ni Bleu, sorry, but either you are an apologist for Russian behavior, or you have simply never flown in Russia before. OR.... you know nothing about Russians at all. Almost all Russian men are alcoholics. Few women drink, but almost all Russian men do. True. Before you open your mouth to defend them, go there sometime and spend some time. When you get in a taxi and notice that the taxi driver reeks of vodka, your education can begin. - I've lived there, was married to a worthless Russian woman, had my belly full of drunken Russian men and lying Russian women.

Shib Jan 8th 2009 10:31AM

Some airlines sell duty free items as part of their in-flight service. Alcohol happens to be included in those sales. When purchased, this item is immediately handed to the passenger. Although not for in -flight use, this may be where the bottle of Chivas came from.

banchee Jan 8th 2009 11:18AM

where are the tazers when you need one? why don't they fix him a drink and put something in it that will put him to sleep (who cares if it is permanent) I HATE OBNOXIOUS DRUNKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AB Jan 8th 2009 11:31AM

I keep telling you! The day is coming when you will see federal door guards on the planes insted of flight attendants. These missles are and will be a threat to the security of evey nation and this solution to unruly passengers will be a by product of stopping terrorist.

Ty Jan 8th 2009 2:51PM

In the first paragraph, I think you meant "were" not "where". Just a typo, but does anyone proof this stuff before it gets publicly posted?

Lana Jan 8th 2009 5:16PM

Yeah, you are a 100 % right !
Being russian myself - i am so embarrassed for my own people, they are rude, stupid and just plain mean- and yes they think that they are so smart and every other nation is stupid - brrr - can't stand them !
I travel a lot - so i see them all the time on the planes - they don't realize that i am russian and they pass all kinds of remarks thinking that i cannot understand them - just hate like 90 % of those people!
As for me i came to the states 2 years ago and i love this country - people are just so wonderful ! But russians say that people like me -are getting "americanized " - i think it's a good thing - you know being able to accept something new , but they are calling me a traitor !