New York – NYPD Cop Intervenes In Scuffle On JetBlue Flight

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    New York – An off-duty New York City police officer subdued and handcuffed an intoxicated passenger who attacked a flight attendant during a scuffle on board a JetBlue plane.

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    The NYPD says Anibal Mercado intervened after 22-year-old Antonio Ynoa of Brooklyn punched a flight attendant in the face early Sunday on JetBlue Flight 832 from the Dominican Republic to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Authorities say the assault happened after the attendant told Ynoa to stop drinking duty-free alcohol.

    Mercado, a patrol cop in the Bronx, told reporters that he wrestled Ynoa to the ground and restrained him with plastic handcuffs kept on board. JetBlue says the aircraft landed safely.

    The FBI says Ynoa will be arraigned Monday in federal court in Brooklyn on charges of assault and interference with a flight crew.


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    17 Comments
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    12 years ago

    No Federal Air Marshal aboard?

    DRE53
    DRE53
    12 years ago

    Kodus to NYPD. They should serve as an example to other PDs. Whenever I read about the NYPD in the news, it makes me proud to be a New Yorker.

    berelw
    berelw
    12 years ago

    im sure he was the air marshal.

    ikleinit
    ikleinit
    12 years ago

    As much as we like to knock the NYPD , of all the major city’s PD dept they are the most professional , not a big fan of cops ,especially when it’s a traffic stop , or speed trap . But when it comes to major crimes , they are one of the best

    12 years ago

    I don’t know why they serve alcohol on flights. I’ve watched some people drink a few (before, during, after dinner…). If a passenger is tipsy when he boards, don’t allow him to fly and certainly don’t add to the problem. some people don’t handle their alcohol well and why endanger everyone when there’s nowhere to go   20,000 feet!

    12 years ago

    In 1970, President Nixon authorized sky marshalls on commercial aircraft, following hijackings to Cuba. However, the airline executives were unhappy with the sky marshall program, as they didn’t want federal law enforcement individuals taking up the seat of a paying passenger. Hence, the program was scrapped. It was not reinstated until after 9/11/01. Even today, it is used on a very limited basis, since there are over 35,000 daily flights in the USA, and there are not enough marshalls to go around. Regarding this latest incident, these assaults will continue to happen, as long as the airline companies insist on serving (and selling) alcoholic beverages inflight. They serve those drinks, as the revenue from them, is very profitable. However, time and time again, alcoholic beverages on a commercial aircraft cause some passengers to become very belligerent, and cause problems with the flight crew and other passengers. The airline companies cannot have it both ways. If they wish peace and tranquility on flights, they should cease serving and selling alcohol.

    12 years ago

    To Yossi-#12- The point that #9 (Concerned Traveler) and I (#11) were trying to make, is that it doesn’t matter whether an individual buys alcohol in the duty free shop, and consumes it inflight, or is served alcohol by the airline company inflight. Both are dangerous combinations, as alcohol tends to lower some passenger’s inhibitions, and causes them to act very aggressive on a flight. A commercial aircraft cannot pull to the side, and dial 911. There are enough problems with aggressive passengers, and assaults on other passengers and flight crew, without adding additional components, to an already volatile situation. Alcohol which is bought at duty free shops is prohibited from being open on board an aircraft. However, the airlines also have a responsibility not to serve alcohol onboard a flight. Sen. Frank Lautenberg of NJ authored a bill which prohibited smoking on flights. It is about time a similar bill was enacted, which once and for all outlaws alcohol on commercial flights!