Family booed on flight bringing home soldier killed in Afghanistan.

[bluesneakers]

That is what I thought,they were booing the delay.They still should not have done it.

I feel we should give the first class seats to the soldiers returning.On our flights on one leg one of us would have first class(or business)and one time I wanted to give my seat to a soldier who was on crutches sitting in couch and my partner had a fit.

I'm only one person and might be in the minority, but based on what I know of myself and my military friends I think most would be uncomfortable with the extra attention and special treatment. I had mixed feelings about flying while wearing my uniform and those were the parts I didn't like. (Other parts I liked!)

eta: I just checked with a friend. He said he would thank the person for the seat and then find someone else on the plane - elderly or someone who needed special assistance or something - and insist that person get the seat instead.

 

[Jax49]

The passengers were not informed it was a Gold Star family, per the father's statement.

 

[kaen]

I think the "important military family" statement should be enough to let them off first--- whether they were meeting their son's remains or the son coming back from duty shouldn't matter. But, the fact is that it did and many of these jeering people have issues with the privileges they think they have.

That said, I think the recent campaign rhetoric about who are or aren't heroes (Khan, McCain, whoever) creates an awful opportunity to rank the importance and whether we will honor a request.

The first class passengers are right, they paid for a privilege. And many don't want to be inconvenienced by someone else's needs. This shows the sentiment that they paid so don't impede them. NO ONE owed them an explanation of why to wait and they got one they just didn't like it.

Again, I think this is commentary about the psyche of some American people rather than their belief about military service.

 

[kaen]

The first class passengers on American Airlines should be ashamed of themselves for the way they treated the Gold Star family of a bona fide hero. I doubt a single one of these passengers voted for Donald Trump!

American Airlines passengers booed loudly when informed their flight would be delayed so it could meet the remains of Sgt. John Perry. The quick actions of Perry and several others stopped a suicide bomber from attacking a charity 5K run to benefit disabled veterans on Bagram Airfield last Saturday, CBS News reports.

“To hear the reaction of the flight being delayed because of a Gold Star family and the first class cabin booing, that was really upsetting, and it made us cry some more,” Sgt. John Perry’s father, Stewart Perry, said. “Most importantly, I want people to know about the heroic thing that my son did.

Stewart Perry is a Marine Corps veteran. He, along with his wife, Kathy, and daughter, Anita, were flying from California to Philadelphia with a transfer in Phoenix, on Monday. Once the plane landed in Philadelphia, the Gold Star family went to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of their heroic son.


http://www.angrypatriotmovement.com/family-boo-bringing-home/

The American Airlines flight from Sacramento was delayed, leaving about 45 minutes behind schedule, according to Stewart Perry, and time was running out for the family to make their connecting flight in Phoenix.

When the plane arrived in Arizona, the captain announced that everyone was to remain seated to allow the Perry family to leave first.

“When he made that announcement, there was some hissing and some booing behind us,” said Perry, who was sitting in first class.

“I believe that the passengers knew there was a Gold Star family on board,” he said. “The woman sitting directly behind us touched me on the shoulder and asked if I was the father of the soldier killed in Afghanistan.”

That leads Perry to believe some kind of announcement was made before he and his family sat down.

“It was very disappointing,” he said. “It’s just enough to put you over the edge.”

The incident was first reported by CBS Sacramento.



The Gold Star father said that regardless of whether the passengers knew the reason for the family’s urgency, they should have been more tolerant.

“Generally, as Americans, we need to be more compassionate to each other and to understand and listen and just stay calm,” he said.


Charlsy Panzino covers the Guard and Reserve, training, technology, operations and features for Army Times and Air Force Times. Email her at [email protected].

From me: This was about getting to Dover on time, not flying with the son's remains. I am not sure about the media site Tulessa quoted but I think the Army Times has it right based on the fathers subsequent interviews.

 

[cuffem]

I'm only one person and might be in the minority, but based on what I know of myself and my military friends I think most would be uncomfortable with the extra attention and special treatment. I had mixed feelings about flying while wearing my uniform and those were the parts I didn't like. (Other parts I liked!)

eta: I just checked with a friend. He said he would thank the person for the seat and then find someone else on the plane - elderly or someone who needed special assistance or something - and insist that person get the seat instead.

Well this guy was on crutches.Looking at the faces of the hundreds of men and women returning from Iraq,they needed some TLC and I think they all should get to sit in the airline lounges and relax and get some snacks/drinks.
I was taught to have respect for military and police and fireman,I tried to give my place in line to a police officer while at a fast food restaurant so he would get a chance to eat before he got a call and he would not do it.He got a call and did not get to eat.

 

[bluesneakers]

Well this guy was on crutches.Looking at the faces of the hundreds of men and women returning from Iraq,they needed some TLC and I think they all should get to sit in the airline lounges and relax and get some snacks/drinks.
I was taught to have respect for military and police and fireman,I tried to give my place in line to a police officer while at a fast food restaurant so he would get a chance to eat before he got a call and he would not do it.He got a call and did not get to eat.

What did he say when you offered him your seat?

I'm not trying to argue - just offering my perspective. Not everyone is comfortable being fussed over or given a lot of attention. Lots of soldiers are just regular people who want to get to their seat and get to where they're going. Again, this is IME, nothing wrong with being kind and polite to people. That's not what I'm trying to say.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Reprehensible. Rip John perry and thank you.

My sentiments exactly. Thank you for putting it into words.

 

[cuffem]

What did he say when you offered him your seat?

I'm not trying to argue - just offering my perspective. Not everyone is comfortable being fussed over or given a lot of attention. Lots of soldiers are just regular people who want to get to their seat and get to where they're going. Again, this is IME, nothing wrong with being kind and polite to people. That's not what I'm trying to say.

Did not get the chance,partner took the seat because it was his status and he was against me giving it up.
This poor family!What if a military member in uniform escorted them on their trip,then people would understand.The flight I was on had 2 service members in uniform escort the remains of the soldier,it was the saddest thing to hear the cargo hold underneath being opened and the coffin removed.

 

[KaaBoom]

that is unfortunate but i highly doubt anyone was booing because they knew it was the family of a deceased soldier, and so far there is nothing other than speculation to suggest that they were.

Correct. According to the original source, they were booing because the flight was delayed. They had no idea who these people were. Talk about a non-story. It's borderline paranoia when someone thinks an entire plane load of people is booing them personally for no reason.

 

[Madeleine74]

The truth is we don't know why passengers were booing. I suspect it had to do with delays and then more delays and had nothing to do with "military Gold Star family." That's the angle that sells articles, of course, because it will incite anger and a reaction ('how dare they?'). Look at the title of this thread (or title of the article this thread was based on). Not exactly the situation.

The reality is probably much more mundane -- people who were afraid of missing their own connections or wanted to exit the plane were forced to wait longer and they didn't want to.

Not "booing the military," not "booing a fallen soldier." Booing at being delayed and perhaps not knowing why.

 

[human]

I was on a flight once with a deceased soldier and everyone was in complete silence except one guy who bolted for the door.It was so sad and a reminder how lucky we are to go about our everyday business.This was back during the war in Iraq and we were flying a lot and always hundreds of soldiers returning in the airport.I always took the time to tell them thank you and shake their hand or give them candy.
RIP Sir and thank you.

Maybe the guy had a very tight schedule. He could be looking at missing a connection. Or maybe he had to go to the bathroom very severely. No one knows

 

[human]

Well this guy was on crutches.Looking at the faces of the hundreds of men and women returning from Iraq,they needed some TLC and I think they all should get to sit in the airline lounges and relax and get some snacks/drinks.
I was taught to have respect for military and police and fireman,I tried to give my place in line to a police officer while at a fast food restaurant so he would get a chance to eat before he got a call and he would not do it.He got a call and did not get to eat.

I think the military gets to use the special lounges. I have heard announcements to that effect in LAX and maybe other airports as well.

 

[bluesneakers]

I think the military gets to use the special lounges. I have heard announcements to that effect in LAX and maybe other airports as well.

Yes, USO lounges.

 

[animlzrule]

The first class passengers on American Airlines should be ashamed of themselves for the way they treated the Gold Star family of a bona fide hero. I doubt a single one of these passengers voted for Donald Trump!

American Airlines passengers booed loudly when informed their flight would be delayed so it could meet the remains of Sgt. John Perry. The quick actions of Perry and several others stopped a suicide bomber from attacking a charity 5K run to benefit disabled veterans on Bagram Airfield last Saturday, CBS News reports.

“To hear the reaction of the flight being delayed because of a Gold Star family and the first class cabin booing, that was really upsetting, and it made us cry some more,” Sgt. John Perry’s father, Stewart Perry, said. “Most importantly, I want people to know about the heroic thing that my son did.

Stewart Perry is a Marine Corps veteran. He, along with his wife, Kathy, and daughter, Anita, were flying from California to Philadelphia with a transfer in Phoenix, on Monday. Once the plane landed in Philadelphia, the Gold Star family went to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of their heroic son.


http://www.angrypatriotmovement.com/family-boo-bringing-home/

A complete misrepresentation of what actually took place. This is why it's so important to "consider the source". "Angrypatriotmovement.com". Oy. Speaking of "fake news"...

 

[Madeleine74]

Yes, fake and altered news and it demonstrates just how gullible the public is. Never questioning if such a thing is true or whether it was something that was taken out of context and nuanced to be something else...something that didn't happen that way, but was made to seem like it. "Truthiness" is the term (coined by Stephen Colbert).

This lesson never seems to be learned. The next 'fake/fake-ish' news story will be believed too, spread around and around, posted and reacted to, before someone has the chance to think, "hey wait a minute...really? because that doesn't sound right..."

The people who create fake/altered news stories LOL their butts off at the stupidity of the public who gobble the stories up. They get paid for getting people to click on those stories, and they make a lot of $$$$ doing so.

 

[Dogface]

I've been on many AA flights carrying soldiers remains, and I recall hearing an announcement made about when the plane lands to allow the family to get off first. I wonder if this was done? And secondly, planes get delayed all the time, for many reasons, could be the weather, could be mechanical, could be staff related. Perhaps instead of booking connecting flights so close together, they should plan accordingly. I might also add, people who boo things in general irk me. I don't boo the movie theater if their machine breaks(lots of people do) I don't boo the other team in a sports game. Just zero class these days. " Oh somethings inconvenienting me, let me boo loudly like a braying jackass" like really? It's so childish.

 

[human]

I've been on many AA flights carrying soldiers remains, and I recall hearing an announcement made about when the plane lands to allow the family to get off first. I wonder if this was done? And secondly, planes get delayed all the time, for many reasons, could be the weather, could be mechanical, could be staff related. Perhaps instead of booking connecting flights so close together, they should plan accordingly. I might also add, people who boo things in general irk me. I don't boo the movie theater if their machine breaks(lots of people do) I don't boo the other team in a sports game. Just zero class these days. " Oh somethings inconvenienting me, let me boo loudly like a braying jackass" like really? It's so childish.

I am surprised at the booing, Have never heard it but then again I am never near first class.

As far as connecting flights, the flights have been cut back so much that if you miss one, you might not get another one until the next day. Even though there is the internet, I work with a travel agent or an airline for flights because I go crazy trying to do all of the different combinations. Even with the airline doing the flights, I have had an hour between flights. It is not easy going through huge airports from one terminal to another a long ways away. Booing is weird to me

 

[Jax49]

I've been on many AA flights carrying soldiers remains, and I recall hearing an announcement made about when the plane lands to allow the family to get off first. I wonder if this was done? And secondly, planes get delayed all the time, for many reasons, could be the weather, could be mechanical, could be staff related. Perhaps instead of booking connecting flights so close together, they should plan accordingly. I might also add, people who boo things in general irk me. I don't boo the movie theater if their machine breaks(lots of people do) I don't boo the other team in a sports game. Just zero class these days. " Oh somethings inconvenienting me, let me boo loudly like a braying jackass" like really? It's so childish.

Best info seems to be the announcement made mentioned "a special military family". The body was not on the flight.

IMHO, the booing was directed at the delay, not the Gold Star Family.

 

[JohnPaul]

IMHO, the booing was directed at the delay, not the Gold Star Family.

this is my opinion also,

the first class passengers were booing because they had to wait to get off the plane, they were not booing at the family, they probably would have done the same thing regardless of who they had to wait for,

people pay a lot of money for first class seats, and one of the perks they pay for is to get off the plane first, IMO they have a right to be upset, it is the airlines fault for asking them to wait,

but once again, a minor story blown way out of preportion by people who have too much time on their hands,

 

[Tulessa]

this is my opinion also,

the first class passengers were booing because they had to wait to get off the plane, they were not booing at the family, they probably would have done the same thing regardless of who they had to wait for,

people pay a lot of money for first class seats, and one of the perks they pay for is to get off the plane first, IMO they have a right to be upset, it is the airlines fault for asking them to wait,

but once again, a minor story blown way out of preportion by people who have too much time on their hands,

I don't think reporters have too much time on their hands. I just think they wanted to sensationalize the story.