An American Airlines airplane, flying from Chicago to Manchester, New Hampshire, made an unscheduled landing in Buffalo, New York. This was due to the alleged obscene acts of a male passenger who pulled down his pants, and urinated along the aisle.
It involved a 25-year-old Oregon man named Neil McCarthy. A flight attendant reported that McCarthy exposed himself in front of fellow passengers during the flight. He urinated into the aisle afterward, said to have caused a disturbance.
When the plane touched down at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, it was attended by police from the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority. McCarthy was arrested as soon as he was removed from the plane.
McCarthy faces charges of indecent exposure brought by the United States Attorney’s Office of New York’s Western District. He faces up to six months in prison or a $5,000 fine for a conviction.
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American Airlines reported that they had to land their flight on an emergency basis because of a “disruptive customer,” which was one way to assure the safety and comfort of their other customers. On Thursday afternoon, McCarthy appeared in court. After the hearing, he was permitted to go home without paying bail. He was released on his own recognizance.
The incident narrates exactly how seriously the airlines and the police take such unruly behavior on board. It is also a lesson in following rules and respecting other travelers.