Yes I imagine that's how it went. The question remains why did the flight crew take the test? Taking the test indicates that somebody somewhere thought it to be a good idea after the passenger made the comment. The whole thing just seems to be crazy - to agree to do the test and then throw the guy off? David On Tuesday 16 July 2002 7:36 pm, Roger & Amanda La France wrote: > Crews usually use the "I can't perform my duties safely if that > passenger rides." and at that point its either kick the pax off or > cancel the entire flight. > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of > David J. Wallace > Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 1:56 PM > To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Subject: Re: Family fumes after being booted from plane > > > So the crew took the test and then booted the family off the plane? It > makes no sense if the crew didn't like the question why take the test > before slinginfg the guys off? On what grounds then were they removed > from the flight anyway? Who made the decision? It's nuts. The real > tragedy is the loss of trust resulting from the previous incident. Glad > I'm not in the US anymore. > > Regards, > > David > > On Tuesday 16 July 2002 5:15 pm, you wrote: > > Family fumes after being booted from plane > > Passenger says he just wanted to know if crew was sober > > By Claire Osborn > > > > AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF > > > > Tuesday, July 16, 2002 > > > > One question to a flight crew, and their summer vacation > > was ruined, members of an Austin-area family said. > > > > While on their way to go fishing in Canada, Hans von Schweinitz and > > his family were told to leave an America West flight after he asked > > whether the pilots had taken a sobriety test. > > > > He said he posed the question to a flight attendant > > while boarding the plane July 6 in Phoenix because he > > was concerned that two America West pilots in Miami previously had > > been charged with operating an aircraft while intoxicated. > > > > The pilots agreed to take a blood alcohol test, but > > afterward they told von Schweinitz to get off the plane. > > > > Von Schweinitz, 68, a German immigrant, said being > > kicked off the plane reminded him of living in Germany > > during World War II. > > > > "It sent cold chills down my back," he said. "My family opposed > > Hitler, but if you asked the wrong questions, you took your life in > > your hands, because the SS and Gestapo had complete power." > > > > America West is reviewing the incident, said Janet > > Monahan, a spokeswoman for the airline. Airplane crews > > can ask passengers to leave a flight if they cause a disruption or > > pose a threat, Monahan said. > > > > "What we need to determine was: Were there concerns > > along those lines?" she said. > > > > Von Schweinitz, retired from the U.S. Air Force, was > > flying to Seattle with his 37-year-old son, Christopher > > von Schweinitz, and his 9-year-old grandson, Matt von Schweinitz. > > > > They were boarding Flight 79 at 7:30 a.m. in Phoenix > > when the elder von Schweinitz asked about the sobriety > > test. After they took their seats, a flight attendant > > told them the pilots would take the test, said > > Christopher von Schweinitz. > > > > Then the flight crew announced that the plane's > > departure would be delayed because a passenger had asked > > if the pilot had taken a blood alcohol test. > > > > The delay lasted 2 1/2 hours while the crew waited for a blood alcohol > > > > test to be brought to the airport. > > > > "The passengers were upset, and what was a little disconcerting was > > that we could hear someone talking on a cell phone and saying, `Some > > idiot asked this question,' " Christopher von Schweinitz said. > > > > Finally a pilot announced that the crew had passed the sobriety test. > > > > "He said parents should teach their children that there > > are consequences to asking questions and that the > > passenger who asked the question was going to be taken > > off the plane," Christopher von Schweinitz said. > > > > A security guard escorted the von Schweinitz family off > > the plane. The airline put the family on the next flight > > to Seattle. > > > > "People cheered, and that was embarrassing and > > humiliating," Christopher von Schweinitz said. > > > > "The guy said he could put us on the next America West flight, but we > > had to give our word that we wouldn't ask questions like that again, > > and we said that we wouldn't." > > > > The von Schweinitzes have returned to the Austin area > > from their fishing vacation. They immediately took their story to the > > tabloid TV show "Inside Edition." It aired Monday. > > > > They have not heard from the airline, but Hans von > > Schweinitz says an apology wouldn't satisfy him. He says > > his vacation and his fishing were ruined. > > > > "I have learned that an apology does not solve the > > problem," he said. "It is up to the airline to find a > > way to correct it so that two pilots don't fly together drunk." > > > > America West Airlines has had reports of more than 100 sobriety > > comments made by passengers since two pilots were accused of preparing > > > > to fly a passenger jet while drunk in Florida two weeks ago. Both > > pilots lost their licenses. > > > > "Consistent with our commitment to safety, we need to > > take these comments seriously," the airline said in a statement. "Most > > > > have been handled professionally. However, unfortunately in a few > > cases, we have overreacted." > > > > cosborn@statesman.com; 445-3630