Philly.com – by Sam WoodA passenger who flew from Philadelphia to San Francisco was detained on arrival by federal agents after a vindictive flight attendant claimed he had not flushed a lavatory toilet, according to a federal suit.
The suit, which seeks $500,000 in damages, was filed last week in the Northern District of California.
Salvatore Bevivino, 52, a business manager for Genentech, boarded a Virgin America flight on April 28, 2012. After the plane reached cruising altitude over Indiana, the former Amblerite pushed the call button and asked for a soda.
According to the suit, a male attendant told Bevivino that if he wanted a drink he would have to use a computer touch screen installed on the back of the facing seat.
When another attendant passed a minute later, Bevivino made the request for a second time and asked why they couldn’t deliver a drink like other airlines. After Bevivino said he would contact Virgin America, a third attendant brought him the soda.
The aircraft landed at San Francisco International. But as Bevivino began to disembark he was pulled aside by the plane’s captain “as a person of suspicion.”
Bevivino said he had no idea why he was detained. Initially he believed that his swarthy Italian complexion may have caused him to be mistaken for someone from the Middle East.
Then the pilot asked him why’d he’d been yelling obscenities at his crew.
And added that he’d left the toilet unflushed.
The pilot then asked a half-dozen uniformed police, FBI and TSA agents to remove Bevivino.
According to a police incident report, a flight attendant told an investigator that Bevivino had gone to the restroom after asking for the drink:
“[He] came back out with a smile on his face and began using profanities. [Name redacted] passed by the restroom and saw that Bevivino left the door open and did not flush the toilet.”
The police report notes the captain didn’t believe he or his flight crew ever felt threatened by Bevivino.
Bevivino, who now lives in the Bay Area, told police he had not yelled obscenities at anyone or left any toilet unflushed. He only had been trying to order a drink, was flustered with problems with the onboard computer, and had become frustrated when the flight attendant ignored him, according to the police report.
Bevivino was eventually released, but only after the incident had caused him embarrassment, humiliation, mortification, mental anguish and emotional distress, and damage to his professional reputation, according to the suit.
The complaint states that Virgin America violated Bevivino’s civil rights through false imprisonment, discrimination, and denial of equal rights.
Contact staff writer Sam Wood at 215-854-2796, @samwoodiii or samwood@phillynews.com.
http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-29/news/38905649_1_flight-attendant-virgin-america-flight-crew
Unbelievable. Absolutely ridiculous. That’s all I have to say.
Why anyone flies when they don’t absolutely have to is still a mystery to me.
“You are under arrest for violating USC Title 18 – The Roto Rooter Act.”
To wit: “Any mammal who leaves unflushable feces in any public toilet, on any commercial aircraft flown within the airspace of the United States of America, subject to hijacking by 19 skinny guys with1/2 inch dull razors, as long as the military commanders promise to “stand down,” and for the intent to display said massive feces and cause extreme grossing-out of the public who have just endured molestation from the TSA, shall be guilty of a 3rd Degree felony, punishable by 350 consecutive TSA gropings at any airport designated by said agency.”
Hell, under the LAW, he asked for it.
“You are under arrest for violating USC Title 18 – The Roto Rooter Act.”
To wit: “Any mammal who leaves unflushable feces in any public toilet, on any commercial aircraft flown within the airspace of the United States of America, subject to hijacking by 19 skinny guys with1/2 inch dull razors, as long as the military commanders promise to “stand down,” and for the intent to display said massive feces and cause extreme grossing-out of the public who have just endured molestation from the TSA, shall be guilty of a 3rd Degree felony, punishable by 350 consecutive TSA gropings at any airport designated by said agency.”
Even Popular Mechanics, who were nice enough to explain that the “jets” really did bring down all 2, I mean 3 WTC towers, are on record as saying the distribution of massive feces by one of the hijackers caused [fairy tale] “Flight 93” to crash into the dirt in PA, after it caused the jet to list starboard 93 degrees. So there you have it. An expert is on board.
Hell, under the LAW, he asked for it.
Sorry for the double post. I’ll answer an algebra question next time as a penalty.
OK as punishment solve for n
V=C(1-n/N)
🙂
People need to just stop flying
Completely low class and juvenile. Bevivino should be placed on the ‘no fly list’. Wondering if he’s here on a work visa? Sounds like something a retarded third worlder would do. I fly commercially several times a month and wouldn’t tolerate that behavior for a minute.
I have to agree with Patriot Joe. My husband has been a pilot for a major airline for nearly 20 years, and the captain is not going to get involved unless there is a real problem. There is more to this story, and all it will take is a few witnesses to the incidents to clear it up.
People wonder why there are so many rules and regulations to follow on the plane and yes, some are over the top. But the reason they exist is people like this clown who is suing for half a million dollars over this. Airlines have to protect themselves from being sued. I guarantee that he will have to find another airline to fly from now on. He will most definitely be blacklisted from Virgin.