If I was on that Jet Blue flight and after 5 hours I said "Screw This" and opened the door to jump out would I

Question

Would I be arrested or fined? If I opened the door would the emergency ramp pop open? Would I be considered a vigilante or hero? Could I put Jet Blue under citizens arrest for holding me hostage? Would Larry King want to interview me? hmmm...

I know my temper. I would have waited 2 hours tops then started a mutiny. I can't believe those passengers waiting like sheep for 10 hours instead of taking matters into their own hands. That same mentality killed all those people on 9-11 (God rest their souls)

Answer 1

Federal crime - you'd be arrested and your life would get all screwed up even if they eventually dropped the charges.

The smart thing to do would be to fake a heart attack. (then simply explain later that it must have just been a panic attack - oops, sorry!)

Answer 2

For all intents and purposes, the aircraft is considered in-flight when the door closes. After that, the crew has full authority. Exiting the plane in other than the terminal would put you in what is called the sterile area, or SIDA. Those of us who work at airports and are allowed on the ramp have to get an ID from the airport to be out there. If I go out to the ramp and say, leave it in my tool box, the airport police have full authority to arrest me. It wasn't a good thing that happened with JetBlue, but you know what they say, Sh!t happens.
And don't compare it to 9/11. What you do under circumstances like that are not always what you may say you would do. Your mind and fear for your life can take control over what you want to do.

Answer 3

YES... DEPENDS... VIGILANTE... NO... POSSIBLY...
You would be fined up to 25,000 dollars by the governemnt spend up to 5 years in prison and have to repay JetBlue for whatever costs were associated with repacking or repairing the door you opened... The ramp would pop open if you opened the front or back doors but I dont know if the A320's are equipped with over-wing slides... You would definatly not be treated as a hero by the airline, airport police, or the FAA, maybe by your fellow passengers for getting them off the plane... As of now JetBlue wasnt breaking any laws however, after the PAX BILL OF RIGHTS goes through the govt. that may be a different story... finally, you never know about those TV interviews, in my opinion, NOT WORTH IT!

Answer 4

first, for starters, you would definately be arrested and fined, the emergency ramp might pop open, you would be considered a vigilante, you could NOT put JetBlue under citizens arrest for holding you hostage, and the only reason that i can think of for larry king wanting to interview you would be for stupidity, not to mention the fact that you would put other passengers lives in danger due to the sudden depressurization that would occur inside the aircraft

Answer 5

You would defiantly be arrested. A mutiny? You would be charged with air piracy! The FAA would also/could charge you with interference of crew members. A $10,000 fine and possible time in federal prison.
The Pilot has all authority over you when you are aboard "his" airplane:
Code of Federal Regulations, 17 CFR part 91 says in part::

§ 91.3 Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command.

(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.


§ 91.11 Prohibition on interference with crewmembers.

No person may assault, threaten, intimidate, or interfere with a crewmember in the performance of the crewmember's duties aboard an aircraft being operated.

Answer 6

If you ignore a crew member, you WILL be hauled to jail and charged with a serious crime.

This is quite a different matter than the events of 9/11, where no one would have been committing a crime by trying to stop those mad dogs.

Answer 7

Good question, I can only answer one part. Would you be considered a vigilante or a hero? Vigilante/Criminal by the airline personnel and police, hero by the rest of us.

Answer 8

Be careful with your temper ..Cecil.. one of the most enforced
domains in our modern society is airlines ,What action you
felt as trivial in your eyes would be a major offense in their
eyes ...

Answer 9

if you opened the emergence door you would be arrested you could file a lawsuit against them for holding you there

Answer 10

You'd be out of the plane, but in jail instead.