I was unaware of this crucial detail and thought he had been apprehended more or less immediately. I’ll drop the overreaction point then.
I agree this guy is an ass, but regardless of what happened on Sept 11, airports are going to have to deal with these asses in a better way, or air travel will simply become impossible.
Want to disrupt airlines, but aren’t smart enough for any real terrorism? Just do what this idiot has done! 10 guys or less in the major hubs can bring the entirety of air travel in this country to its knees using just their legs, unless the airports learn to deal with situation better.
I figured something like this would happen. The larger airlines could eat a few hundred thousand, but AirTrans, suffering enough as it is, obviously can’t.
Man, that guy is a chump.
Esprix
The guy is an asshole.
That being said, we can’t expect America to turn into Israel overnight. When you jack up security as quick as we did, we are going to have some screwballs do crap like this every once in awhile until we slowly readjust the way things are now.
Fine the guy enough to hurt but not enough to finacially destroy him and his family. Trust me, if we just embarrass him enough and take away their spending money, his wife will do the rest:)
Of course the guy was an idiot. But did he break any laws he could have known about? What are the grounds for AirTran’s lawsuit, beyond simply that they’re pissed off?
This smells to me like an ex post facto lawsuit: “let’s make up a way to make this guy suffer.” How is it not?
Fiver everybody is required to go through security before entering the concourses or transportation areas at all airports. This fool knows that. Yes I say he did break the law by not going through security. He knew better and should be held accountable for his actions. AirTrans would not have lost business that day in Atlanta if he had not done what he did so I think it is legit for them to sue him for loss of profits or whatever they’re calling it. Who knows maybe this will make other idiots think before they try to pull a stunt like that. Hmm…idiots and think in the same sentence. Sounds like a contradiction in terms.
(a) Jumping airport security has been illegal for DECADES. Who didn’t know that?. Besides…
(b) “Ignorance of the law does not excuse from compliance therewith or enforcement thereof” – I dunno about Georgia or the Federal Code, but where I live that’s an actual ARTICLE in the code…
© *You’re not sued in civil court for “breaking any laws.” You are sued because you caused “damages” to someone else. * The disruption the fool created, through a reckless and careless action, resulted in a major interruption of business and an unexpected expenditure/loss of revenue for all of Hartsfield Airport’s operations and those directly and indirectly involved.
I like clayton_e’s suggestion of appointing this guy dumbass of the year. I only fear that he might have so much competition, that he would finish out of the top spot in the voting!
Obviously this moron does not have the resources to make good the damage he recklessly caused. So civil acton will be of little effect.
I suggest this might be an appropriate opportunity for criminal prosecution leading to official public humiliation. I might not be opposed to bringing back the stocks, but some might complain. Instead, let’s plaster this jackass’s mug and name all over the print and electronic media, have an official proclamation that “Joe Doe is a doofus,” make him wear a T-shirt saying “I am a selfish ignoarant pig”, also give him a bumper sticker and lawn sign to the same effect. Maybe all his friends and family members might be required to wear “I’m with stupid” t-shirts when they go out in public with him. Any other suggestions?
Folk doing such things with the intention of shutting down air traffic should be prosecuted as terrorists.
Okay, let’s take it for granted that this fellow is dumb as a sack of hair and should be slapped silly/strung up by the scrotum/pounded into pudding/etc.
I think it’s brilliant move on AirTran’s part!
How much do you think they’d have to PAY to have their name brought before the entire airline-ticket-buying public? All of this publicity cost them the filing fees at their local courthouse and long disctance faxes to all of the major news networks with the press release.
I recent years, AirTrans has had little positive publicity other than what it pays for. This suit brings us on down on their side!
Until we find a way to legislate against stupidity, we will be stuck with idiots like this.
I’d just like to sit him down and ask him what he was honestly thinking. Or was he honestly thinking. Or even dishonestly thinking. I think I get it now. He just plain wasn’t thinking !
[sub] Even though I can’t agree with it in reality, I would love to make him wear a t-shirt branding him as a loser for a month. Isn’t the mental imagery just brilliant. [/sub]
Apparently, he has been branded loser of the month. Poor guy has needed to move out of his house (can you hear my tiny violin?).
Here’s what gets me. msnbc identifies the guy as a bank executive! You know, you’d think that a guy like that would have some clue as to the reprocussions of his actions, the need for security, and the costs involved in closing down an airport. (Bet he isn’t a bank exec for long).
They also say the guy was stopped, started to move toward the checkpoint, then spun around and ran - and, gee!, didn’t realize he was causing the problems.
Interesting link Dangerosa, especially all the stuff about security breaches at airports. Geez…think I’m gonna do a lot of driving from now on.
One interesting thing in the MSNBC article is that the ##%&*#@ idiot didn’t say anything bout how he did it cause he was sooooo concerned for his son whom he left at the gate while he went after the camera case. Guess he figured out that line wouldn’t get him any sympathy?
So right after breaching security and being told to stop by a uniformed guard, Lasseter was herded along with everyone else outside and waited for several hours while they searched for him. And he never came forth and admitted his mistake and tried to rectify the situation, knowing full well it was his actions that had caused to whole fiasco. And he’s only caught because they recognize him from the video tape.
He had his chance to lessen the effects of the crisis. There were plenty of opportunities for him to come forward and make things right. Can you imagine the speculation by all the herded passengers of what had triggered the alert? He knew he was the cause and yet he did nothing!
I can’t think of a reason in the world this guy should be shown any compassion.
Let’s see… last name Lasseter, from Gainesville GA. Ain’t people search a wonderful thing? I’ll BET he got a phone call or 2. [sarcasm]The poor guy.[/sarcasm]
Haven’t met many bank executives, have you? These are guys who think nothing of using the phone on the plane to call back to the office to complain that they didn’t get their special meal.
Who consider it their God-given right to fly in first class, and who will cancel and reschedule a flight dozens of times, causing untold disruptions to the reservations system, until a first class frequent-flyer seat is available.
Who carry whatever baggage they require onto the plane, and demand that the flight attendants find space for it, because the deal that they are working on will make millions and therefore they do not have to follow annoying airline policies.
Who believe that because they – no make that the bank – paid for a ticket, the airport and the airplane are their personal property to do with as they see fit.
I rejoice every day that I no longer book travel for bank executives. But I am not the slightest bit surprised that one of them pulled this kind of arrogant, selfish, disruptive stunt.
Actually, I have - bank execs, health care execs, manufacturing execs, lawyers.
And I’ve made similar observations to yours. But I wasn’t going to trash a whole group of people - at least 5% of executives I’ve met are pretty decent, rational human beings…(of course 10% of them are such (can’t use that word, this not being the pit) that they more than make up for the decent ones).
And bank executives aren’t necessarily like corporate VPs. Can’t swing a dead cat in a bank without hitting a VP…I think the career path at a bank is teller, senior teller, vice president.
There’s an editorial about the idiot in the local newspaper, The Albany (GA)Herald. Thought y’all might enjoy it. It is somewhat witty and (will wonders never cease!)actually makes sense. Plus I am introducing all you dopers to the wonderful world of southwest GA! Enjoy.