Bird-Flipping AA Pilot Fined $13K

An American Airlines pilot on Thursday paid a fine of nearly $13,000, thus avoiding up to two years in jail for making an obscene gesture when being photographed at the airport as part of entry requirements for U.S. citizens.

The pilot, Dale Robin Hersh, lifted his middle finger on Wednesday while undergoing the new security process at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport, and was accused of showing contempt for authorities -- a crime in Brazil.

"He is now free to go wherever he wants, but I would imagine he would want to return to the United States as quickly as possible," said federal prosecutor Matheus Baraldi Magnani.

Federal Police spokesman Wagner Castilho said the American pilot would return to the United States on Thursday night and added that Hersh would not be allowed to speak to the press while on Brazilian soil.

Earlier this month, Brazil decided that Americans would be fingerprinted and photographed at entry points in response to similar rules in the United States for citizens of Brazil and other countries whose citizens need visas to enter.

At a hearing in a federal courthouse, Magnani on Wednesday argued that Hersh's crime was a minor one and proposed a fine of $12,750, which will be donated to a home for the elderly.

Since both Hersh and American Airlines agreed, no formal charges were filed, Magnani said, adding that the fine was paid in cash.

Hersh's 10-member crew was detained inside the airport shortly after the incident and was not allowed to enter Brazil. Police said the crew was not charged and returned to the United States on an evening flight.

American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin said the incident was the result of a misunderstanding.

The episode was the latest flap in a growing diplomatic spat between Brazil and the United States.

The Brazilian requirement was imposed on Jan.1 at the order of a federal judge, and earlier this week, the government, citing the concept of "reciprocity," made it official.

U.S. citizens had their fingers inked and were photographed holding up a number, a process that at times lasted up to nine hours.

But the long delays practically disappeared on Thursday with the introduction of new electronic digitizing equipment at the Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro airports -- Brazil's two main ports of entry.

"This new system will avoid any kind of humiliation," said Federal Police spokesman Castilho, who added that, through Wednesday, 6,500 American citizens had been fingerprinted.

One of the first to test the new equipment in Sao Paulo was Delta Airlines pilot Doug Snowball shortly after arriving from Atlanta.

"We had absolutely no trouble with entry formalities," said the pilot. "It took us about one minute to get through. The officials were very cordial. You just put your finger on the reader and you're through."

Commenting on the incident with his American Airline's colleague, he said: "I think he was a little crazy to do what he did."