Enjoying cheap airplane tickets and last minute travel deals is being threatened as more airplanes are diverted due to passenger actions. Last Wednesday, January 6, a Hawaii bound plane was re-routed back to its departure city, Portland, Oregon, after a passenger, Joseph Johnson, gave a flight attendant a note that was interpreted as threatening.
The threat was taken seriously enough for two F-15 military jets to be dispatched to accompany the plane back to Portland.
The pilot explained that he became alarmed after hearing that Johnson wanted to be near his carry-on baggage and filled out a comment card that questioned what if the plane ripped apart in mid-flight.
The passengers card read in part I hope we dont crash and burn or worse yet, landing in the ocean, living through it, only to be eaten by sharks, or worse yet, end up on someplace like gilligans Island, stranded, or worse yet, be eaten by a tribe of headhunters
There appears to be no link between this passenger and terrorists nor was any threatening devices found on his body or in his baggage.
Johnson told the FBI that his card was supposed to be taken as a joke and because he had sealed it, would not be read during the flight.
Johnson was charged with interfering with a commercial jetliner crew and assigned a public defender.