The broken window of China Airlines 682

[SN30952]

You probably read about the broken window of China Airlines, episode.
If not, here is the pitch of that story:
Flight: China Airlines 682 from Ho Chi Minh City to Taipei
SOB CI 682: 218 passengers and crew members
Incident: passenger broke a window on the aircraft, the airline said. The flight was diverted to the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung
The passenger broke the window with his hand after he had too much to drink.
Charges: endangering a civil flight.
The facts: the passenger allegedly attacked a flight attendant and broke the inner layer of a cabin window.
Comments:
China Airlines' spokesman Bruce Chen said a male passenger broke the window with his arm after he had too much to drink. Another China Airlines spokesman, Johnson Sun, said there was never any danger to the passengers or aircraft, an Airbus 330. "The average window is double-layered, so safety will not be threatened," he said. Sun did not specify where the window was, or how the passenger had managed to break it with his hand. A stewardess was lightly injured in the incident

The question: if there was never any danger to the passengers or aircraft
Why is the man then charged with endangering a civil flight.
Why did the crew decide to land 250km short of its final destination?

Did the taiwanese crew act in revenge, to charge the drunken passenger a max?

Who served the drinks to the passenger? (And were there more passengers inebriated?)
Were the other about 200 passengers satisfied with a 2+ hours delay of flight 682?

What would have been the damage to the aircraft?

Conclusion: An airline that serves alcohol to the point passenger(s) get drunk and in a condition they cannot control their movements, and then diverts a plane with 200+ passengers, because a plastic window quasi ornamental protective inner layer of a cabin window. is broken, does not respect its passengers.

Who was endangering the flight? The airline itself, by serving too much drinks to a passenger!
The diversion was dysproportional to the futile incident...

IMHO, Such airlines do not deserve your patronage....

Look at Photo ID: 1078284 or Jet’s window smashed or Taiwanese airliner diverted after window broken by drunken passenger...

China Airlines flies
CI 682 Ho Chi Minh (SGN) 10:50-15:15 Chiang Kai Chek (TPE) Non-stop EQV 3h25min Daily
or CI 686 Ho Chi Minh (SGN) 17:20-21:45 Chiang Kai Chek (TPE) Non-stop AB6 3h25min Daily
The EQV aircraft would have been an A330.
Note: no idea who that passenger was.

Read:
AIRBUS A318 / A319 / A320 / A321 Cockpit Windshields and Side Windows Passenger Windows, Wing Tip Lenses

Severe passenger window crazing can push maintenance costs higher and higher and customer satisfaction lower and lower.

And also:
Florida man charged with punching out airplane window in flight
The answer to that in the American West case: accused of shattering a plastic shield covering a glass window.
When passengers get punchy
Answer starts as follows: This is an excellent example of the media taking an incident which, while disturbing with regard to the violent actions of this passenger, had very little effect on the airplane.

[Stepha380]

A friend of mine broke a inner window with his elbow during severe turbulence on DEL-CDG (don't remember the airline, I would guess AF). No modification to the flightplan, they landed at CDG on time, and he never heard of it again.

Why did the crew decide to land 250km short of its final destination?

Cheaper fuel ?

[SN30952]

Why did the crew decide to land 250km short of its final destination?

Cheaper fuel ?

Taiwan is an ...island, and has no fuel, all fuel is imported....
Both airports are situated on the coast area, one in the S, the other in the N, 250 is the distance S-N.
It took them more fuel to land, and take off, than to stay up.

[thomascookie]

I think it's quiet normal of the crew to react like this. If the man was agressive and drunk he could have made more damage if they continued there flight. If something happened then the captain would be responsable for not reacting on the situation. Like Stepha380 said, if it happens out of a turbulence or any other case without someone having the intention to do so, it ain't a problem to continuing the flight as planned.

cheers
Bram

[lastrow]

I have also experienced a case where a passenger was out of control because of being drunk:

The aircraft taxied to the runway. A passenger was reluctant to sit down and fasten the seat belts, the captain decided to go back to the parking position and get the madam out with the help of the police. I have submitted a report on that:

oa-txl-ath-lca-and-back-the-smirnov-exp ... 14037.html

I think if someone get crazy onboard he violates some contract issue that was acknowledged with the purchase of a ticket (to follow the orders of the captain) and thus this could be a reason to stop and kick the passenger out.

-lr.

[SN30952]

... if someone get crazy onboard he violates some contract issue that was acknowledged with the purchase of a ticket (to follow the orders of the captain) and thus this could be a reason to stop and kick the passenger out. -lr.

Correct, that are CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE FOR PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE IN AIR TRANSPORT.
Sorry for the capitals, but that is how its written on the cover of this document.

One of the things stipulauted in this document, us that a copy of this document should be available in every location open to the public or accessible to the passngers.

Because that is usually not the case, many an airline had problems in court, when accusing a member of the public, or a pasenger not conforming to these conditions.

Some excerps of these conditions are printed on the ticket cover.
Contents of the conditions may vary depending from the company. In fact, a passenger would do well to get informed before beginning a journey.

What you would need to know in this case is under § 7: items 6 and 7.(These people lke captotals, sorry...)

§ 7 OBLIGATIONS OF PASSENGERS WHEN TRAVELLING BY AIR
1) The passenger shall, before purchasing a ticket and before boarding an aircraft, prove his/her identity and present relevant travel documents or contingently answer the questions relating to safety on the request of the carrier’s staff member or state authorities, or provide requested personal data to authorised state authorities.
2) When purchasing the ticket the passenger shall inform the carrier about any health conditions which might complicate his/her carriage or influence the flight in a negative way.
3) The passenger shall submit to any security check including his/her checked and unchecked baggage.
4) According to valid international regulations, passengers are not allowed to carry weapons, ammunition, knives, toys similar to real aggressive weapons (e.g. pistols, grenades) and all other items of a stabbing or cutting nature. These items must be placed in checked baggage only. The carrier disclaims any responsibility for articles to be retained due to safety reasons. Dangerous materials (explosives and ammunitions, flammable and corrosive materials, compressed gases, toxic and infectious substances, oxidizing substances, radioactive materials, magnetic materials and other dangerous goods) may only be carried up to exceptions as cargo under airwaybill and under special conditions of carriage.
5) The passenger shall be adequately aware of the nature of air operation and shall follow the instructions of the carrier, especially at:
• Check-in, the assembly and movement in the passenger areas;
• Boarding and disembarking the aircraft;
• Placing clothes and unchecked (cabin) baggage in the aircraft.
6) The passenger shall forbear from committing any act which might endanger the safety and smoothness of air carriage, he/she must not disturb other passengers and obstruct the proper performance of the carrier’s staff members´ duties, nor damage the property of the carrier and passengers, and forebear from the abuse of alcoholic beverages.
7) Further more the passenger shall:
• Arrive at check-in and fulfilment of all other required formalities and procedures well in advance, within the time specified by the carrier;
• On the carrier’s staff member’s announcement or on the illuminated panel indication fasten his/her seat belt during take-off and landing, or as required during the flight;
• On the carrier’s staff member’s request, revert back to his/her originally assigned seat if it is necessary due to operational or safety reasons;
• Observe no smoking on board all aircraft.
• Not operate personal electronic devices, which could interfere with the electronic devices and equipment of the aircraft.
• Submit to necessary first aid when his/her health has been harmed during the flight, inform the crew about requested personal and health data and submit to the subsequent medical check up;
• Repay the carrier all costs for losses and damages which the passenger caused by his/her improper conduct (e.g. damage of the aircraft interior, illegal carriage of dangerous animals or items, aircraft emergency landing etc.);
• Unconditionally submit to the instructions of the aircraft commander (captain) and cabin crew during the flight;
• Submit to the imposed personal security inspection carried out by the state authorities or authorized organizations;
• Conform his/her clothes and appearance to the standard of air carriage.