Well as you know Sophie is flight attendant so here is my take on this.  Oh and let me say first that although nothing surprises me much anymore I do think there is more to this story.

First off there are normal customer seats assigned for 'crew rest' on long haul flights - but I really don't think a 5 hour flight is considered long haul - and they are usually at the back of the plane and have a curtain that goes around them  These seats are also very different to the "jump seats" which are usually near the emergency exits and face the opposite direction and are just like fold down seats with seat belts that go over both shoulders.

No where in the story does it mention if the mentioned flight attendant was on duty or not.  When I read it my take on it was that she was actually NOT on duty and was either flying on staff travel or 'paxing' back to New York.  Paxing is when a flighty travels on the flight (possibly still in uniform) but is actually not on duty just returning to that particular airport.  The buddy traveller couldn't sit in the jump seat as he wasn't an employee but the flighty still legally could sit in the jump seat even if she wasn't on duty.  If she had been on duty she would have been doing drinks/food service etc so I really believe she was off duty at the time.

Also passengers aren't allowed to 'hang around' areas of the plane.  You can get up walk around and go to the toilet etc but you can't just stand somewhere for long periods.  You are allowed to do laps of the cabin (to help with DVT) and you can wait in line for the toilet, but you can't just stand around, you must return to your seats.  It all about emergency procedures.

Was he in the toilet at any time while the seat belt sign was illuminated?  If not, then technically he wasn't in immediate danger. And he was given his seat back for landing when he needed to be buckled up.  If the story is true then the pilot - and the flighty for that matter - both need to be disciplined.  But this business of suing for $2m really gets up my nose big time.  Just another money grabbing wanker looking for a free ride in life. 

I wonder if his "buddy" who gave him the travel voucher will suffer consequences too?  I know that when we travel using Sophie's family travel vouchers there are strict guidelines that we must adhere to and any breaches can result in us losing our priviledge and there are also repercussions for Sophie too.  $2m compensation for flight he didn't even pay for in the first place is ridiculous.  Give him some free flights/up grades, maybe free food and bevvies on his flights.

Oh and something else............... Sophie absolutely hates the toilets on her flights, and she says she literally gags when she sees someone going in to one with no shoes on.  And she reckons with the safety demo at take off they should tell all male passengers to 'sit down' when taking a pee.  There is too much movement on the plane to keep the aim straight!!!!  (I hope no one was eating then LOL)

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I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. If I was allowed to board a flight (even with a free ticket) I would assume that there was a seat for me. If I was then told that I had to sit in one of those disgusting toilets for over 5 minutes I would sue. As far as free flights, free food (what food?), free drinks, it wouldn't matter because I would not be flying that airline ever again. As far as the flight attendant goes maybe a reprimand is in order. As far as the pilot goes --- he's needs to be fired. I wonder how many FAA regulations were broken by his actions. To me this is just as bad as pilots that are asleep (that, too, has been in the news), or pilots that have found to be drinking alcohol 24 hours before working. I don't believe in sueing for exorbitant amounts but in this case, I don't think 2 million is exorbitant. eom mags

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Posted by: Doopy
Date posted: Tue May 13 19:31:32 2008
Message:

That's just gross. I'd sue. And since when do flight attendants get a regular seat? It's been a while since I've flown, and granted, the longest flight I've been on was from here to Dallas to Vegas, but I have NEVER seen a flight attendant sit in the passenger section.

I'm getting anxious. It's less than 2 weeks until I get to live like you, Mags, and take a VACATION!!! And I read these plane stories and wonder what I'm going to see or endure. I PRAY it won't be as bad as the Greyhound trip to NC a couple years ago was... The Nashville to Houston legs of the trip will be on the commuter type planes. I USED to prefer smaller planes to full size, back when the FIL had one and I was used to flying in them. Now I'm not so sure...

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I've been on long flights and seen the flight attendants taking a break near the kitchen area. They have their own seats. I have never seen a flight attendant in a passenger seat (if they are in uniform). Maybe this particular flight attemdant was dead heading but that still does not make it right to take someone out of their seat and put them in the bathroom. (I get more steamed about this the more I think about it). You won't have any problems! Is Houston your destination for your vacation? I don't mind the smaller planes....it means it's a short flight! Just check in early and be at the gate early. I like being at the gate an hour early so that I'm not bumped. I like to read and people watch anyway so it's no big deal to be there that early. You'd be surrpised how fast the time goes by. Have a great vacation Doopy! eom mags

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Posted by: Gail M
Date posted: Tue May 13 18:30:45 2008
Message:

Here is a link to the article:    http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080513/JetBlue.Lawsuit/

That gives new meaning to flying free.    It is too unreal a circumstance to believe, but yet there it is.   I have watched the TV show Airline (I think that's the name of it) before and it is unreal what people get into in airplanes and prior to flying.   The last time I watched it a whole BUNCH of people were protesting the behavior of another group of people and insisted on (and got) free flying miles.    As far as the lawsuit, I'd have the know the particulars, because I really hate lawsuits unless a person has been badly harmed - either physically or psychologically.   If the dude was just very inconvenienced (and sitting on ANY toilet seat would definitely qualify!) then I would hope he would just settle for a lot of free airline tickets.   

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Free tickets? I'd never fly that airline again. I am so disgusted by most of the airlines now that this case really got me steamed up. How dare they? Passengers have no rights once they board a plane. I think there is an organization that is forming to get passengers certain rights. I think this came about when they put people onto planes, push away from the gate (giving the airline an ''ontime'' departure) and then they had to sit on a runway for 8 hours. This hasn't happened to us yet but I'm expecting it to happen one day. The airlines say there are no gates open to take deplane people. Fine.....bring up one of those mobile stairways and let me off. I'll walk back to the terminal. I'm digressing .... what was done to this man was horrendous to me. If the flight attendant was not working, he/she was flying free too. That person agreed to sit in a jump seat and should sucked it up and stayed in that seat. But I put the blame on the pilot. I hope this gets more media exposure so we can find out what happens. eom mags

BTW - Is ''Airline'' still on? I used to watch that all the time. eom mags

The most miserable I ever was in/on/around a plane was sitting on the runway at Chicago O'Hare years ago for HOURS! I think it was about 3 1/2-4 hours until we finally got off of the ground. I would make them let me jump out of the thing now. LOL Only I'm not kidding! I get claustrophobic just thinking about it. PLUS, the fumes from all of the planes were making me ill. I'm not sure if Airline is still on or not. I sometimes see it when I am looking for things to DVR and it might be reruns. I'll pay attention the next time I see it. It's way up yonder in the 300s on my channels. Gail

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Posted by: Blinkie
Date posted: Tue May 13 16:55:52 2008
Message:
I just found the article and read it. That sounds so fishy to me. There are way too many rules that have to be followed on a plane, so it seems like there'd be more than just a lawsuit by the guy if that was true.

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Too be honest, it sounded fishy to me too but with what's been going on with certain airlines today, it's believable. How about the woman on Southwest that was pulled off because of her outfit? I saw her in the outfit on a talk show....she looked fine.....better than most people who fly. I 'd like to read more about this story and the eventual outcome. I hope the guy gets a bundle and the pilot is fired. eom mags

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Posted by: W.E.
Date posted: Tue May 13 15:26:31 2008
Message:

I couldn't get your link to work but I heard this as a blurb on the news so I don't know all the details. I can understand wanting everyone secure but there aren't seatbelts in the john are there? WHY would they want anyone in there for protection. IMO you can get injured in there moreso than if they found another spot OR (again not knowing details) why not just put him on the next flight?

How did they think this was a proper solution? I fly but have claustrophobia so the worst part for me is after landing when they take their sweet time to OPEN THE DOOR and deplane QUICKLY (lol). They'd really be doing me in...flying AND contained in a three by three foot space?!?!?? I'm getting the sweats just thinking about it.

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A flight attendant found the jump seat too uncomfortable but the passenger was not allowed to sit there! Here's the web site if you want to type it in: http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080513/JetBlue.Lawsuit/ It truly is one of the strangest stories I've ever read about being on a plane. I hope the pilot was fired. Oh and ''no'' there are no seat belts in the bathroom! eom mags

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