lenaitch
Senior Member
With any luck the airline will seek a judgement against him to recover costs. By the looks of things, he likely won't have the money, though; ever.
An Ontario man who caused a WestJet flight to turn around and fly back to Toronto claims his intent was to create a viral video when he suggested on the plane that he may be sick with the new coronavirus.
"It certainly wasn't a smart thing to do," James Potok, 28, of Vaughan, Ont., north of Toronto, said on Tuesday.
Potok, who describes himself as a frequent flier and an upcoming hip hop R&B artist, apologized to 243 passengers aboard Flight 2702 to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
But Potok, who has been charged with mischief and breach of recognizance, claimed that he didn't actually say he had the coronavirus. Halfway into the flight, he said he pulled out his camera, stood up, then asked if he could get everybody's attention.
"I said: 'I just returned from a flight from Hunan province.' I might have said: 'This is the capital for coronavirus.' And then I said: 'I don't feel too well.' And I looked around. I saw the reception of the people. They didn't seem too happy about it. I don't blame them. And I stopped recording and I sat back down in my chair," Potok said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/coronavirus-claim-plane-westjet-flight-diverted-1.5452221
Geography fail (to be fair, the average Canadian isn't familiar with Chinese provinces)"I said: 'I just returned from a flight from Hunan province.' I might have said: 'This is the capital for coronavirus.' And then I said: 'I don't feel too well.' And I looked around. I saw the reception of the people. They didn't seem too happy about it. I don't blame them. And I stopped recording and I sat back down in my chair," Potok said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/coronavirus-claim-plane-westjet-flight-diverted-1.5452221
Basically, it was the same as announcing that you have a bomb or a gun on board. The person on board was threatening the entire plane with a virus that has been responsible for quite a number of deaths.IMO, this idiot likely sparked an over reaction by first the passengers and then the flight crew. Unless he pulled his stunt in front of the flight attendants someone had to complain to them. Then, the flight attendants, instead of telling him to sit down and be quiet, told the captain. The captain, Instead of sending his first officer down to question and reprimand him decides, like many a frustrated parent, he’s turning this van, um plane around.
Anyway.... if this idiot doesn’t have any money to pay the fines, he should have 90 days in jail, be alerted to US HLS and be banned from all commercial flights in North America for life. This idiot should never again be allowed on a passenger aircraft.
Man arrested for 'yelling that he had coronavirus' on a flight
Potok Philippe, real name James Potok, from Vaughan, was charged with mischief on Monday. Crew gave him a mask and gloves and told him to move to the back of the plane, pictured.www.dailymail.co.uk
They should have thrown him in quarantine with the rest of the passengers in one big locked room. Turn off the cameras.
A cruise ship carrying 251 Canadians has been quarantined off the coast of Japan following a confirmed outbreak of the new coronavirus.
Ten people have tested positive for the virus, but none are Canadian, said a statement from Princess Cruises on Wednesday. The ship is carrying 2,666 guests and 1,045 crew.
With any luck the airline will seek a judgement against him to recover costs. By the looks of things, he likely won't have the money, though; ever.
We as a country should be way more harsh on such people rather than seem them as victims or mental patients.
This person negatively impacted 100s of peoples.
Please, we live in an era where personal responsibility no longer exists. People's poor choices and actions are always the fault of someone or something else.
You mean to say that "upcoming hip hop artist"" is not a lucrative trade??