Cussin', Fussin' Jet Blue Flight Attendant Suspended

"Thousands have applauded his take-this-job-and-shove-it grand stand"

By Alicia Cruz

The BlackUrban Times

JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater argued with a passenger, then made a vulgar laced intercom announcement and then fled down the aircraft's inflatable emergency slide at New York's JFK airport saying, "That's it. I've had it."

The hoopla began after Slater became incensed with a passenger who would not heed his instructions to remain seated until the Jet Blue Flight 1052 from Pittsburgh to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, had fully landed and taxied the runway.

The passenger went to remove his luggage from the overhead bin anyway, hitting Slater on the head, but not before cussing the 38-year-old flight attendant, media outlets reported.

That's when Slater, who even asked the passenger to apologize for his outburst, went straight loco, swearing back at the vituperous passenger over the plane's loudspeaker, then, with a beer he snatched from the flights beverage cart in hand, Slater activated the plane's emergency landing chute, then made a historical landing of his own.

"See ya...and I wouldn't wanna be ya..."

According to CBS News, Slater grabbed the aircraft's intercom and said, "To the passenger who called me a 'm***** f*****,' f*** you! I've been in the business 28 years. That's it. I'm done."

After Slater, a native of Thousand Oaks, California, wigged out in flight and left, he headed for home in Belle Harbor, Queens. Where police later apprehended him with what his neighbors called, "the full force of the New York City Police Department."

"They were all over the place," the neighbor said. "SWAT teams, it looked like, there were helicopters, everything."

That night, Slater was led out of the Port Authority Police Headquarters, handcuffed, smirking and sporting a cut on his forehead.

Media reports state that Slater, who had previously cared for his dying father, was stressed out providing care for his mother, who, according to his attorney, is suffering from Lung Cancer.

JetBlue officials released a statement saying: "There were no injuries and all customers deplaned the aircraft safely through the Jetway. At no time was the security or safety of our Customers or Crew members at risk." According to an aviation expert, JetBlue's plane could be out of commission for 3 days until a repaired evacuation slide is inspected.

Cussing, suspended or not, many are hailing the airline veteran as a folk-hero, but his employers saw it differently and suspended him. Slater has been slapped with 2nd- and 4th-degree criminal mischief, 1st- and 2nd-degree reckless endangerment, and criminal trespass in the 3rd degree.

Internet supporters of Slater's are calling for the name of the unruly passenger to be released saying his conduct was in violation of 49 U.S.C.A. § 46504:
"An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. However, if a dangerous weapon is used in assaulting or intimidating the member or attendant, the individual shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life."

MSNBC reported that Slater, the son of a former airline pilot, was accused of endangering passengers, but thousands disagree and at least one set up a legal fund on behalf of the weary attendant while several thousand others claimed themselves as Steven Slater Fans on Facebook. By Tuesday afternoon, the number grew to more than 43,000 people.

Visit the Free Steven Slater Facebook page here

And check out the "Free Steven Slater" T-shirt from Customink.com.

Twitter users also showed their support for slater, with declarations such as "Free Steven Slater!" and "Steven Slater is totally my new hero."

Slater, MSNBC.com reported, wore a slight smile Tuesday as he was arraigned in a Queens courtroom on felony charges, which could land him in prison for at least seven years if he is convicted. The judge set the wigged-out attendant's bail at $2,500, which remained unpaid late Tuesday afternoon.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Slater has been employed with JetBlue since January 2008, and served as chairman of JetBlue's uniform redesign committee and on the company's in-flight values committee. He listed his previous employers as Delta, TWA and Business Express Airlines.

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