Swiss From Bkk Jumps Off Airplane

[george]

Man jumps off SIA plane at Changi

A SWISS man jumped off a stationary Singapore Airlines aircraft at Changi airport after opening a cabin door and punching a flight attendant who tried to stop him.

The 22-year-old student, who apparently had too much to drink, leapt off the Zurich-bound plane while it was awaiting clearance for take-off at midnight on Sunday.

He landed on the tarmac unhurt and was detained by ground staff.

Police spokesman Victor Keong said that on the advice of the Attorney-General, the man was given a stern warning yesterday and left for Zurich on a flight last night.

It is understood that the aircraft cabin doors were not locked at the time of the incident because the plane had not yet been cleared to move onto the runway.

The police arrested the passenger and everyone else on the plane was asked to disembark. All hand baggage and the cabin were thoroughly checked as a precautionary measure.

The flight was delayed by two and a half hours before it eventually took off at about 2.15am.

The student, who was a transit passenger from Bangkok, remained in police custody yesterday before he was allowed to leave.

--The Straits Times 2004-05-11

[davethailand]

IDIOT

[12call]

Times 2

[Bob Chittie]

Alcohol made him jump off a plane?

[NedKelly]

He probably thought he was parachuting over the Maldives on the way home. Silly cheese muncher !

[meemiathai]

There are more and more maniacs nowadays!

If there is an airline company which chains their passengers to their seats and handcuffs them, I will be the first one to use their service. I won't mind losing some rights if that makes it safer when flying.

[BIG SPUDS]

I felt like doing that when i had to go back home

[george]

Swiss who leapt off SIA plane faces ban

Airline says it may bar 21-year-old from all flights in future even as many express surprise at slap on the wrist for Swiss

A DRUNKEN Swiss man who punched a flight attendant and then leapt off a stationary Singapore Airlines plane on the runway at Changi Airport on Sunday may be banned from SIA flights in future.

An SIA spokesman said yesterday that it was considering having David Kayumba, 21, a student at the University of Zurich, blacklisted.

The man was unhurt and was detained by ground staff and policemen.

Passengers had to leave the plane while the police searched the cabin and all hand baggage. The flight was delayed by 2 1/2 hours.

The man was released after the Attorney-General decided not to press charges.

The Swiss was given only a stern warning and then put on a flight home on Monday night.

Police spokesman Stanley Norbert said that they had carefully considered the facts and circumstances of the case with the Attorney-General before deciding not to take further action against the passenger.

This slap on the wrist surprised many law enforcement officers, lawyers, aviation personnel as well as ordinary folk.

With air rage incidents on the rise, airlines all over have been urging tough punishment for those who make trouble on flights.

A lawyer who handled an air rage case here a few years ago said: 'I'm very surprised that someone who stopped an aircraft from taking off would get off so leniently.'

So was Captain Mok Hin Choon, president of the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore.

'Any attempt to interfere with the safe conduct of the flight should be considered a disruption and taken seriously, even if the plane was still on the ground,' he said.

The Straits Times understands that the fact that the plane was on the ground and not moving, and that no one was injured influenced the decision to let the man off.

Before Mr Kayumba got on the SIA flight, he had been on a flight to Singapore from Bangkok and got drunk and vomited on that flight.

Then he got on the Zurich-bound plane. The cabin door was still unlocked because the plane had not been cleared for take-off and several flight attendants tried to stop him from opening it.

In the struggle, the drunken man struck the chief steward.

That he was drunk would have had little effect on the decision not to press charges, said lawyer Shashi Nathan of Harry Elias Partnership.

'The fact that he was intoxicated does not provide a defence to a charge of assault. It is at most mitigatory,' he said.

Former pilot Suthar Sanan wonders why the drunk was even allowed to board the flight, as airlines usually turn away passengers who are intoxicated.

--Straits Times 2004-05-12

[george]

Swiss who leapt off plane had depression

He was recovering from psychological problems and was on his way home after a therapy trip to Thailand, his father explains

THE father of the Swiss passenger who jumped off a stationary Singapore Airlines aircraft on Sunday at Changi Airport has explained that his son acted rashly because of psychological problems.

Speaking to The Straits Times on the phone, Mr Alois Kayumba, 49, said that his only son, David, 22, had been recovering from depression and was returning from a three-month therapy trip to Thailand when the incident occurred.

On Sunday midnight, David, who was intoxicated, opened a cabin door, punched a flight steward and leapt off a Zurich-bound plane while it was awaiting clearance for take-off at Terminal 2.

He landed on the tarmac unhurt and was detained by ground staff.

The police arrested him and everyone on the plane had to disembark while all hand baggage and the cabin were thoroughly checked as a precautionary measure.

The flight was delayed by 2 1/2 hours.

The police let David off on Tuesday with a stern warning on the Attorney-General's advice.

He flew to Zurich the same night, accompanied by two Singapore Airport Terminal Services security officers.

There was a good deal of speculation on why David had been allowed to go with a mere slap on the wrist. But his personal problems seem to explain why the authorities did not take a hard stand.

Speaking from Zurich on Wednesday, Mr Kayumba stressed that he understood the seriousness of the incident.

The African-born Swiss national runs a limousine service in Zurich while his wife Esther, 56, is a nurse.

He said he took his son, who is studying mathematics at Zurich University, to Bangkok three months ago on a therapy break. The trip was suggested by the psychologists who were treating his son for depression.

He accompanied David to several tourist spots, including Koh Samui and Krabi, and the young man seemed to respond well to the new environment.

'But after one month, I left him there because I had to return to work. I also wanted him to learn to be on his own as this was his first overseas trip,' Mr Kayumba said.

There was no sign of trouble and David would call back home almost daily, he said.

Everything was okay until Sunday night when he was in transit in Singapore for about two hours.

'He sounded a bit shaky when he called from the airport and was unsure whether to board the plane.

'He asked his mother several times: 'Are you sure you want me to get on board?' '

David still is in a daze about what actually happened after that, his father said.

He was unable to speak to The Straits Times when his father passed the phone to him during the interview.

'I am conscious that what happened at the airport was very serious,' said Mr Kayumba. 'I am thankful the authorities were understanding.'

He added: 'He returned to us on his birthday. So all is well that has ended well.'

--Straits Times 2004-05-14

[Bad News]

There are more and more maniacs nowadays!

If there is an airline company which chains their passengers to their seats and handcuffs them, I will be the first one to use their service.  I won't mind losing some rights if that makes it safer when flying.

Now, you are the briliant one!

HOPE THE AIR STEWS DON'T TRIP OVER THE CATHETER

TUBES RUNNING DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE AIRCRAFT!

Insertion is complimentary........

[Adjan]

An SIA spokesman said yesterday that it was considering having David Kayumba, 21, a student at the University of Zurich, blacklisted

"Kayumba" is an african name... far from any swiss one...

[qwertyuiop]

An SIA spokesman said yesterday that it was considering having David Kayumba, 21, a student at the University of Zurich, blacklisted

"Kayumba" is an african name... far from any swiss one...

So his father was born in Africa and is now a Swiss national, as stated in an earlier post

What is your point?

[DaveYo]

Well, it doesn't take much for one to develop air fright. Sometimes these sympthoms happen instantly. Being drunk and hallucinating can do the trick especially if his is popping those psycho drugs.

If he was "Drunk" he would have had to stagger to the plane walking sideways and you can bet airline employees would have spotted him a mile away. So if any of you can remember seeing a person truly drunk you should know how they act overall.

Therefore I don't think he was drunk. He was in a psychosis state of mind with the dope and alcohol which is hard to spot because you can be normal one minute and goofy the next.

resigned member