Keith T 2 Report post Posted June 25, 2007 And don't ask why I was reading such a paper. http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/...98487-19347336/ RIOT AT 30,000 FEET.. OVER RECLINING SEAT EXCLUSIVE BA pilot makes an emergency landing after a mass brawl By Justin Penrose 24/06/2007 A BRITISH Airways pilot was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger reclined his seat, annoyed the man behind him - and sparked a mid-air riot. Twenty people were caught up in the mass brawl at 30,000ft, and a stewardess suffered gashes to the head as she tried to intervene. The fight broke out an hour before the plane was due to land in Heathrow after a man on the Boeing 747, carrying 290 passengers from Lagos in Nigeria, reclined his seat. The man sitting behind him complained and when the other passenger refused to put it back up he got up and punched him. Then friends of the two men waded in, attacking each other with fists, bottles and belts. One even tried to get through to first class where they have metal cutlery to grab a knife as a terrified woman passenger knelt down and prayed in the aisle. Members of the crew eventually managed to handcuff two Nigerian men while the pilot alerted air traffic control and jumped the queue to make an emergency landing at Heathrow. Police, who were on standby, boarded the plane after it landed. Doctors examined a stewardess and a male passenger who suffered a gashed head. A spokesman for British Airways said: "An altercation developed between two men when one reclined his seat on to the other. Staff and passengers tried to break up the fight and a passenger received a cut to the head. On arrival the police made two arrests. Both men have been banned from flying with us." The two arrested men have been charged with affray and were remanded in custody after appearing in court. BA staff involved in the bust-up have been offered counselling. Earlier this month a drunken bridegroom on a flight home from his honeymoon in Mexico forced a jet to be diverted from Manchester to Ireland after he became abusive. Builder Scott Watson from Floest, Derbyshire, is still awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to abusive behaviour. And another air rage drunk, Trevor Blake, 44, of Luton, Beds, was jailed for a year this month after admitting affray. He hit out following a romp in the toilet with his fiancee Nicola Fitzgerald, which led to a flight from Gatwick to Jamaica being diverted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isaac 0 Report post Posted June 25, 2007 This happened to me once back in 2002. I was on MH081 to KUL, a 772. It was a very empty flight. I reclined my seat after all the meal trays were collected and suddenly an old woman behind pushed my seat. I looked at her (and her husband, both are in their 50s), the wife blah-blah-blah and gave me this killing-look. But i didn't bother to fight with her. I just smiled and reclined my seat back to the fully upright position per her-majesty request. Ever since that day, i only sit on 26K with my mom on 26J whenever i'm flying MAS 772. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted June 25, 2007 (edited) A very good reason for AK's seats not to recline !! Isaac - with hindsight, would you have been able to bring yourself to reply to the lady in a volume audible to those in immediate vicinity that "..... you're so sorry for disturbing her space by utilising the recline function on your seat; you will now shift to adjacent / nearby vacant seat so as not to intrude upon her territory - thank you !" Edited June 25, 2007 by BC Tam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radzi 2 Report post Posted June 26, 2007 Errr....sorry to be a bit off-topic. Does AK A320 have reclining seat or not? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rozhan 0 Report post Posted June 26, 2007 I believe most of them have as I've had pax in front of me recline his seat in a number of sectors. The early ones (AFA etc) I understand were not fitted with reclining seats. Wonder if they plan to, or have changed those to reclining ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted July 5, 2007 Does AK A320 have reclining seat or not? All 3 AK A320's I flew recently (AFG/AFL/AFO) had reclinable seats, although the recline was only small... Noticed, the FA's were quite strict with the 'upright position' prior to landing and even woke-up sleeping passengers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
