14 DAY TRIAL // A United Airlines flight has been diverted over a screening of Alex Cross on overhead screens on the plane.
A family flying from Denver to Baltimore complained about the PG-13-rated movie not being appropriate for their children, aged four and eight, and ended up being booted off the flight.
They wrote Atlantic about the February 2 incident in an anonymous message. In the letter, they mention asking flight attendants to change the movie and being refused.
“Alarmed by the opening scenes, we asked two flight attendants if they could turn off the monitor; both claimed it was not possible,” they recall.
They describe asking to speak to the Captain, without receiving any input, and trying to keep their children busy with other activities throughout the flight.
“Throughout these interactions the atmosphere was collegial, no voices were raised and no threats, implicit or explicit, of any kind were made,” they detail.
However, at one point the pilot announced that they would be rerouting to Chicago. Upon arrival, the family was removed from the flight and questioned by FBI, Customs and Border Security agents.
They dub the incident an abuse of the Captain's position and use the term “vindictive” to describe his actions.
“Had this been in a cinema or a restaurant, we would have simply left if the content were too violent [...] for a preschooler and a 2nd grader. Cruising at 30,000 feet (9,144 meters), leaving was not an option,” they argue.
The airline responded to questions by Fox News by classifying the incident as a disturbance involving a customer on the flight.
“United flight 638 from Denver to Baltimore diverted to Chicago O'Hare after the crew reported a disturbance involving a passenger.
“The flight landed without incident and the customers were removed from the aircraft. We reaccommodated the customers on the next flight to Baltimore and have since conducted a full review of our inflight entertainment,” they react in a statement.