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By Kevin Slane
While Linda Carter-Knight waited for her Jet Blue flight from Philadelphia to Boston, she exercised her rights as an American guaranteed under the Constitution to tweet about flight delays. But when it finally came time to board, JetBlue kept her grounded.
Jet Blue denied me access tonight to a flight home to my three children.Thanks for supporting single working mothers.#philyjetblue760
— Drinkwater Marketing (@DWPmarketing) October 8, 2014
According to an interview Carter-Knight gave to a local ABC news program,the entire incident stemmed from the flight’s irate pilot claiming a passenger had accused him of being drunk, which necessitated a sobriety test. “We had been waiting an hour, so there was a joke by another passenger — that it had been a long night and we hoped there was a fully stocked bar on the airplane,” Carter-Knight said. “And the pilot immediately ran out and said, ‘That’s it, everybody back up at the gate. I’ve been accused of being intoxicated.’” Here are some of the tweets that allegedly got Carter-Knight’s tickets yanked.
#JetBlue Major debacle on flight 760 in Philly- pilot accuses passengers of accusing him of being intoxicated demands all passengers back
— Drinkwater Marketing (@DWPmarketing) October 8, 2014
#wmur Philly Boston flight 760 grounded due to unruly pilot – false accusations by pilot that his sobriety was questioned by passengers
— Drinkwater Marketing (@DWPmarketing) October 8, 2014
Philyflight760. Still grounded as authorities board plane for pilot sobriety test pic.twitter.com/8qOU6UaYqB
— Drinkwater Marketing (@DWPmarketing) October 8, 2014
JetBlue has a bit of a reputation for dealing with difficult passengers in unorthodox ways, but unlike Steven Slater’s legendary beer-swigging escape through the emergency exit, the passenger doesn’t seem to have done much to warrant her punishment.
JetBlue released a statement to Mashable about the flight this morning, but did not address Carter-Knight’s situation directly.
On Tuesday, October 7, 2014, Flt 760 from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), experienced a delay prior to departure due to a customer’s accusation of a pilot being intoxicated.
As a precautionary measure, a sobriety test was conducted. The test demonstrated the pilot was sober and as a result, he was cleared to perform his duties.
Customers boarded the aircraft which departed PHL at 12:03am and arrived in BOS at 1:12am.”
What a mess.
[h/t Mashable]
Kevin Slane is a staff writer for Boston.com covering entertainment and culture. His work focuses on movie reviews, streaming guides, celebrities, and things to do in Boston.
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