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Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

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Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#91

Post by pudquick »

frinxor wrote: post #80
batgaijin wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, saying "I'm not a terrorist" is kind of a line I'd expect to hear to in a tv show or something. Do you tell the cop "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"?

When a flight attendant tells you to not take pictures, its obviously for security/terrorism concerns. I find it truly ridiculous if we can no longer make true statements in an attempt to alleviate such fear ("I am not a terrorist"). When a cop pulls you over because there was a kidnapping a year ago, you do not end up in jail for making the claim "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"

> When a cop pulls you over because there was a kidnapping a year ago, you do not end up in jail for making the claim "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"

No, but you'll get a more thorough check of your car (trunk and backseat), plus a more in-depth check of your car's plates and your ID - because you just made a seemingly unrelated statement about a horrible thing (kidnapping) when the cop pulled you over for something trivial (not obeying speed rules).

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#92

Post by tankenmate »

andrewfelix wrote: post #82
pudquick wrote: post #62

Yes, it's unfortunate that the flight attendant lied in this situation. However, it would have been impossible for the pilot to verify this - even if the author showed him the camera. Since the author was willing to 'prove' it, it had to be a digital camera - which the author could have very easily used the built-in delete function to remove all photos but one (or be a sneaky terrorist and swap SD cards). In addition…

Absolutely agree. The guy acted arrogant and entitled and attempted to argue with the Captain. There was a very simple solution to this situation; Suck it up, swallow your pride and apologise, whether you were in the wrong or not. If he had been humble about it, he very likely would have been able to stay on the flight.

I doubt the bit about being humble means they might let you stay on the plane. The decision process is a one way process, once you cross the line there is no going back; or in the words of De Niro "If there's doubt then there is no doubt".

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#93

Post by slapshot »

frinxor wrote: post #80
batgaijin wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, saying "I'm not a terrorist" is kind of a line I'd expect to hear to in a tv show or something. Do you tell the cop "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"?

When a flight attendant tells you to not take pictures, its obviously for security/terrorism concerns. I find it truly ridiculous if we can no longer make true statements in an attempt to alleviate such fear ("I am not a terrorist"). When a cop pulls you over because there was a kidnapping a year ago, you do not end up in jail for making the claim "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"

> When a flight attendant tells you to not take pictures, its obviously for security/terrorism concerns.

Not necessarily. A plane is a crowded, cramped environment and other passengers (such as myself) might not want to be photographed.[1] A broad "no photos" rule is an easy way to make sure that those of us who don't want to be photographed don't have to be. Similarly, photo-taking by tourists is often distracting (people spilling into aisles, flash photography in a small reflective space, etc.). People often seem to have no idea how to take photos without being disruptive. I agree that the disruption is the problem, but a "no photos" rule is easier to enforce than "photos, but no flash, except the LED flash on camera phones..."

This interaction should have ended after "thanks, I didn't know there was a policy against taking photos."

[1] See, for example, the evergreen controversy about the photography rules at Burning Man. It's a constant balance between "people want to take pictures so they can remember what happened" and "some people don't want to be photographed in what for them is a very personnel experience."

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#94

Post by jemfinch »

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #83
jemfinch wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No one's taking the airline's side here, but he shouldn't have brought up terrorism. That was a mistake in judgment on his part, as I explained elsewhere. The irony here is that you're demonstrating the same sort of knee-jerk misinterpretation that arises when people say "terrorism" on an airplane.

I still don't understand why using the word "terrorist" is a no-no. It is a word. Context matters. Context in this case would suggest there was nothing to worry about. I swear sometimes it is like the whole world is a slightly mentally handicapped child who, upon hearing a bad word, starts repeating it getting more and more upset. I guess being adults and thinking things through is too much to ask from your average f…

It's not the word itself. The word could be "terrorist" or "bomb" or "Muslim" or anything, really. It's denying some wrongdoing without having first been accused of it. Humans learn very early on to be suspicious of people who offer denials prior to accusations, and we likewise learn in childhood not to offer such denials ourselves.

When no one has accused you of stealing a cookie from the cookie jar, saying out of the blue, "I didn't steal the cookie from the cookie jar" instantly makes you a suspect. This is Encyclopedia Brown level stuff.

(As an aside, your lack of intuitive understanding of this principle, combined with your righteous indignation and judgment of the world at large, makes me feel very much like you describe while writing this reply.)

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#95

Post by MichaelApproved »

droithomme wrote: post #10

It's a bit disturbing and amazing to see so many people here taking the airline's side in this. No wonder things are the way they are - the general public supports it.

It's very disturbing and amazing to see so many people here jump to conclusions when we've only heard one side of this story and OP has only contacted United after posting this article.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#96

Post by l33tbro »

PavlovsCat wrote: post #11
ck2 wrote: post #7

Not that it's an excuse for what they did but why the hell would you suddenly spout "I am not a terrorist" when no-one has even implied as such. Yeah that's helpful to calming strangers in any situation, just suddenly say that without any reason.

why the hell would you suddenly spout "I am not a terrorist" when no-one has even implied as such. Because if you can't do that, what's even left for terrorists to destroy? And how is lying, claiming he took more pictures, an appropriate response? How can you possibly rationalize this to be the fault of the OP? As a comment to that story points out, that's a big part of how society got to such a low point.

The "terrorist" jibe is a red herring.

Seriously, he was ejected because of taking photos, not because of the "T word". The fact that he took one photo and ceased activity means that he is NOT in the wrong.

While it is common sense not to use the word "terrorist" on board or in an airport (I certainly wouldn't), this doesn't mean that it is logical or justified. 1000 years ago it was common sense that you could fall off the face of the earth. We seriously need to stop being so precious about this word and take our power back.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#97

Post by libria »

oellegaard wrote: post #46
ghshephard wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The instant he said that to the FA, he was off. It's like using the "B" word with the TSA. If you say it, expect to be taken to a room for a nice 20 minute conversation with various security officials. And there is no "room" on an airplane, you're off if you behave like this guy.

Sorry, what is the "B" word?

Bomb. Also, if your lips are dry and your friend has a moistener, favor the word "chapstick" over "baum".

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#98

Post by easytiger »

batgaijin wrote: post #70
pudquick wrote: post #62

Yes, it's unfortunate that the flight attendant lied in this situation. However, it would have been impossible for the pilot to verify this - even if the author showed him the camera. Since the author was willing to 'prove' it, it had to be a digital camera - which the author could have very easily used the built-in delete function to remove all photos but one (or be a sneaky terrorist and swap SD cards). In addition…

Yeah, saying "I'm not a terrorist" is kind of a line I'd expect to hear to in a tv show or something. Do you tell the cop "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"?

Well when you enter the USA under the visa waiver scheme you sign a document that asks you many stupid questions, one of which is are you a terrorist.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#99

Post by frinxor »

pudquick wrote: post #91
frinxor wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When a flight attendant tells you to not take pictures, its obviously for security/terrorism concerns. I find it truly ridiculous if we can no longer make true statements in an attempt to alleviate such fear ("I am not a terrorist"). When a cop pulls you over because there was a kidnapping a year ago, you do not end up in jail for making the claim "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper"

> When a cop pulls you over because there was a kidnapping a year ago, you do not end up in jail for making the claim "Don't worry, I'm not a kidnapper" No, but you'll get a more thorough check of your car (trunk and backseat), plus a more in-depth check of your car's plates and your ID - because you just made a seemingly unrelated statement about a horrible thing (kidnapping) when the cop pulled you over for somethi…

not sure if i made my original point correctly. putting away the camera is entirely related to terrorism, which is why its perfectly reasonable to respond with "I am not a terrorist" (taking pictures of the plane for future blowing-up operations)

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#100

Post by Al-Khwarizmi »

pudquick wrote: post #62

Yes, it's unfortunate that the flight attendant lied in this situation. However, it would have been impossible for the pilot to verify this - even if the author showed him the camera. Since the author was willing to 'prove' it, it had to be a digital camera - which the author could have very easily used the built-in delete function to remove all photos but one (or be a sneaky terrorist and swap SD cards). In addition…

Wow, so people seriously thing that saying "I am not a terrorist" is reason enough to kick someone out of a plane?

I honestly will never understand how a one-time attack carried out a decade ago could throw the American society off its rocker so much.

In my country (Spain) apart from an Islamic terrorism attack we have had local terrorists (ETA) killing people almost every year from the 60's to 2011, and there just aren't such taboos and irrational fear in our society.

NB: I'm not one of those Europeans who bash on Americans, I admire the American society in many aspects... but this one I just can't understand. Ánd I could expect to see this kind of thought among uneducated people, but in HN? Oh wow.

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