# United Airlines flight diverted to Boston after nutjob pulls a screwdriver, note **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 16, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954 "2006-08-16T15:25:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/1 "2006-08-16T15:25:17Z")
Somebody needs to be pitted. Obviously the whackjob who decided to break out with a screwdriver and notes in English and Arabic referencing al-Qaeda (she also had a jar of Vaseline). Way to go, screeners! It’s early and we don’t know much, but it sounds like the crew/passengers subdued her ass and bound her on the plane. (Hopefully they beat the living shit out of her.) Those folks definitely get the hero of the day award. Watching CNN to learn more… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/2 "2006-08-16T15:46:27Z")
Other reports suggest that she was merely claustrophobic. As for the note…I can just imagine somebody trying to read a note with sloppy writing, & deciding that _something or other, that they couldn’t read_, said “Al Qida”, just because the woman was from the Middle East. Which, BTW, hasn’t even been confirmed, as I post this. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/3 "2006-08-16T15:51:23Z")
BTW– [http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/16/london\_to\_washington\_flight\_diverted\_to\_boston/?p1=MEWell\_Pos3](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/16/london_to_washington_flight_diverted_to_boston/?p1=MEWell_Pos3) > [@](#): > > Naccara denied earlier reports that she was carrying lotion, a screw driver, matches and a note referencing al-Qaida. He said he did not believe any items she was carrying were the cause of the outburst. Great. Some poor, frightened woman, scared & alone on a plane, happens to be Muslim, & gets the crap beaten out of her, 'cause she’s the wrong religion. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/4 "2006-08-16T15:54:24Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/16/flight.diverted.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/16/flight.diverted.ap/index.html) Claustrophobic, _on a plane_? Wouldn’t this person be more claustrophobic in a bathroom then a plane? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/5 "2006-08-16T16:08:39Z")
I will await further details myself. The reports I’ve heard thus far are conflicting. Why exactly did this woman freak out? What exactly did she say/do? What kind of altercation with the flight crew…and why? Why did the pilot declare and emergency and divert to Boston? Lots of unanswered questions here. I think its too early to make ANY kind of judgement about this one… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/6 "2006-08-16T16:13:54Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Some poor, frightened woman, scared & alone She got the **shakes…on a plane!** ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/7 "2006-08-16T16:16:40Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > Claustrophobic, _on a plane_? Wouldn’t this person be more claustrophobic in a bathroom then a plane? Well, in a bathroom: (1) You don’t spend many hours unable to escape. (2) You know that you aren’t being held many miles above the earth’s surface, kept up there by forces you don’t understand. (3) You are allowed to open the door. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/8 "2006-08-16T16:20:18Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I will await further details myself. The reports I’ve heard thus far are conflicting. Why exactly did this woman freak out? What exactly did she say/do? What kind of altercation with the flight crew…and why? Why did the pilot declare and emergency and divert to Boston? > > Lots of unanswered questions here. I think its too early to make ANY kind of judgement about this one… > > -XT You mean you are not going to jump to conclusions at every piece of drivel that the various news agencies send down their collective poop chutes, in a misguided assumption that being first trumps being accurate? Why do you hate America? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/9 "2006-08-16T16:21:43Z")
😛 Because I have an irrational hatred of nations who’s names begin with “A” or “U”. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/10 "2006-08-16T16:29:29Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > 😛 Because I have an irrational hatred of nations who’s names begin with “A” or “U”. > > -XT You must really hate AUstria and AUstralia. There is currently no information to go on worth a cent. I hope that nothing unreasonable happened, and hope that all innocent parties are unharmed. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/11 "2006-08-16T16:29:42Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > 😛 Because I have an irrational hatred of nations who’s names begin with “A” or “U”. > > -XT So, why do you hate Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/12 "2006-08-16T16:32:53Z")
Well, I DID say it was irrational… :mad: 😉 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/13 "2006-08-16T16:36:40Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > 😛 Because I have an irrational hatred of nations who’s names begin with “A” or “U”. > > -XT I guess this would be a bad time to tell you about the Andorran-Uruguayan Alliance… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/14 "2006-08-16T16:58:14Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Some poor, frightened woman, scared & alone on a plane, happens to be Muslim, & gets the crap beaten out of her, 'cause she’s the wrong religion. There is no indication in the reports I have read that she was alone or Muslim or that she got the crap beaten out of her. Other than that you make an excellent point. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/15 "2006-08-16T17:02:09Z")
Well, that’ll teach me to try to post without all the facts coming in… :smack: Seems this woman just freaked out… so I hereby withdraw all wishes that she gets her ass kicked. Ditto on my comment regarding the inspectors. Still, pretty disturbing. CNN did report that the note, screwdriver, vaseline, and matches were on her person… as well as the note. They did, however, categorically reject the idea that she had a bottle of water as well. I wonder if she was flying alone? Seems like someone who might get nervous on a flight shouldn’t be alone… can’t they inform the crew if they have a nervous flyer before they take off? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/16 "2006-08-16T17:20:10Z")
How the fuck does this happen? > [@](#): > > Naccara said he did not believe any items she was carrying were the cause of the outburst. **An airport spokesman previously said the woman was carrying lotion, a screw driver and matches, but backed off the statement, and Naccara said it wasn’t true.** > > “I don’t know what she had on board with her, but we have been told she did not have a screw driver, she did not have any liquids such as vaseline, and any notebook she may have had, it did not contain an al-Qaeda reference,” Naccara said. “This is still playing out, of course.” > > “There was speculation in the beginning of all those items, but those have been proven untrue,” he said. He said he had no information about matches. How does the report get out that she had a screwdriver and that other stuff when she didn’t actually have any of these things. The airport spokesperson who released this “information” should be fired if it turns out to be false. I mean, i can understand if something that is not initially known comes to light later on, after more investigation. But in order to claim the presence of some item or other, you would think that someone might actually need to see said item. Did someone just pull this stuff out of their ass? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/17 "2006-08-16T17:23:31Z")
[http://thinkprogress.org/](http://thinkprogress.org/) > [@](#): > > During a Fox News discussion on the diversion of a United Airlines flight because of an “unruly” female passenger, former Weekly Standard deputy publisher David Bass said, “She’s probably not al Qaeda affiliate, probably not a terrorist, could just be a Ned Lamont supporter, we don’t know.” Feel the sleaze! Embrace the sleaze! Be the sleaze! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/18 "2006-08-16T17:24:56Z")
Fog of war…or I suppose in this case Fog of Events would be more accurate. Things are always initially confused, rummors run wild, and mis-information, distorted information and flat out wrong information is the order of the day. Thats why its always funny when people look back at chaotic events and analyze all the mistakes and confidently say THEY would never be so stupid, or THEY would have seen exactly what was happening, blah blah blah. Human nature and all that. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/19 "2006-08-16T17:25:31Z")
All I heard on NPR while taking my lunch break were that she was claustrophobic and “agitated”. So, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why this is news. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954/20 "2006-08-16T17:39:26Z")
Terror, **Loopy** , terror! Who, oh, who can defend us and protect us from Terror? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-boston-after-nutjob-pulls-a-screwdriver-note/368954.md?page=2)