No Flight Risk: Steven Slater Free on Bail

Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines Youcef Yousfi waits for the start of a seminar of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, at Vienna's Hofburg palace, Austria, on Thursday, June 14, 2012. OPEC ministers are coming into a meeting Thursday deeply divided over how much crude to pump, with Saudi Arabia keen to keep a lid on prices, rival Iran pushing to cut production and Iraq expected to back Iran, its longtime foe under Saddam Hussein. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) / Ronald Zak

A New York City judge has granted bail for a flight attendant accused of cursing out a passenger on an airplane public-address system, grabbing some beer from the galley and exiting on an emergency slide.

Steven Slater is charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing.

Defense attorney Howard Turman asked a judge in Queens Tuesday to release him without bail.

The judge instead set bail at $2,500. Slater smiled slightly as he was escorted into the courtroom.

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Photos: Steven Slater, JetBlue Flight Attendant

Police say Slater lost his temper after a rule-breaking passenger insulted him, then apparently struck the flight attendant in the head while removing a bag from the overhead compartment.

Upset, Slater asked for an apology, and instead, the passenger told Slater off.

Slater then got on the plane's public address system and announced: "To the passenger who called me a 'm***** f*****,' f*** you!"

Slater departed the plane (and, it seems, his aviation career) by opening an exit door, inflating the plane's evacuation slide, and sliding away, beer in hand.

In arguing against bail, Turman said Slater's mother has lung cancer.

[nikkigks]

Can anyone tell me why plains do not have cameras on them? They are everywhere eals! If they did this would clear alot up about what really happend.

[wlhoppers]

I was once on a Southwest Airline flight where a very inebriated passenger kept "play-threatening" to open an emergency exit door, lurching over his seat pretending to grab the door handle. The play-threatening was convincing enough that many nearby passengers became visibly nervous. The flight attendants were incredibly professional, keeping their cool while calmly rationalizing with the man. They kept him distracted until we landed.

Once on the ground, the flight attendants escorted the guy off the plane first, delivering him right into the hands of waiting air marshals. The rest of us gave a round of applause for the flight attendants and many of us stopped to tell the pilots about their cool, calm and professional actions. They really rose to the occasion, handling a very difficult passenger without open confrontation and no incident. After applauding the flight attendants, we had the added pleasure of laughing at the jerk as he stood shame-faced, in handcuffs, being read his rights.

[sgtgenep]

Having been a frequent flyer for a sports network, I can attest to the unbelievable outbursts of passengers regarding overhead space. In a somewhat twisted way, I applaud the flight attendant andd his exit because there were times that I would have liked to throw the obnoxious passenger out the emergency door and down the chute!!

[documemts]

I didn't notice that he "had a beer in his hand". That makes this guy a hero!

[JRC_903]

"In arguing against bail, Turman said Slater's mother has lung cancer."

What exactly is this suppost to mean?

[Cattzen]

Jet Blue had to resort to using their inflatable Flight Attendant.
?what's our vector victor? Roger? Ouver??

[documemts]

Exactly!

[uniquelyanonymous]

awesome story. not the smartest actions but I am jealous of his courage in the face of the possible trumped up charges.

[nomostew]

The fact that the passenger was wrong does not make this guy a hero. I've seen competent flight attendants deal with the same situation. From a far enough distance that there's no risk of altercation, they insist, loudly enough for other passengers to hear, that the passenger must close the bin and be seated or the plane will not move to the gate. SOP, and it works like a charm. The other passengers quickly catch on that this one doofus is slowing them down, and they get surly quickly if the doofus doesn't back down. Piece of cake.

[vonmissy]

As a former flight attendant i can assure you that this was heroic on many levels. One can only take so mych abuse with a smile on their face! People need to understand that flying is a means to getting from point a to point b and thats it. Check your craziness at the gate and sit in your seats until you land. If you do not like being confined then find another way to get there! Common decency goes a long way! It never ceases to amaze me how horrific people behave when flying. Completely low class.

[Leekai31]

JetBlue needs to hire him back! Good for him for sticking up to that nasty passenger! I hope the passenger is on the no fly list AND has a hefty fine to pay the FAA!