So, just how infuriating can it be to sit in an idling airliner for seven hours while the pilot waits for a break in the weather? According to Reuters, infuriating enough that six German passengers aboard the British Airways flight have filed “false imprisonment” charges against the pilot of the plane, who was trying to get from Berlin to London. Heavy snow prevented the plane from taking off and the pilot elected to wait out the storm. His patience was apparently much greater than that of some of his passengers. After more than three hours, one passenger called a police emergency line on his cellphone, saying he felt like he was being “held hostage.” Police did board the plane but, thanks to security regulations, only three passengers, those with carry-on luggage only, were allowed to leave the plane. They left about two hours before the plane was finally able to take off.
The Law Turns Flight Delay Into False Imprisonment
Key Takeaways:
- Six German passengers filed "false imprisonment" charges against a British Airways pilot after their flight from Berlin to London was delayed for seven hours due to heavy snow.
- Passengers were kept on the idling plane, leading one to call emergency services after three hours, feeling "held hostage."
- Police boarded the aircraft, but due to security regulations, only three passengers with carry-on luggage were allowed to disembark.
- The three allowed to leave did so about two hours before the plane finally took off with the remaining passengers.
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