By Ivan Pereira
A heated argument and a bump on a JetBlue flight attendant’s head did not turn him into the Incredible Hulk, but his wacky antics during the incident at John F. Kennedy International Airport Monday afternoon are turning a Belle Harbor man into an online superhero.
Steven Slater, 38, was charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief Tuesday morning for his stunt that took place after a JetBlue flight from Pittsburgh landed in New York around noon the day before. The authorities said his stunt put the lives of JFK ground crews in danger.
Slater went on a obscenity-laced tirade over the plane’s PA system against a passenger who got into an argument with him over luggage that was stored in an overhead compartment, Port Authority investigators said. During the argument, the passenger opened the compartment and the luggage hit Slater in the head, according to investigators.
Slater’s court appointed attorney claims that the argument and accident happened before the plane took off.
The bump apparently pushed the wrong button and Slater chastised the passenger while the rest of the passengers were waiting to exit, investigators said. He then ran off, stole a beer and got off the plane by opening the emergency chute that he used to slide down onto the tarmac, investigators said.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the flight attendant’s actions put tarmac crew members at risk.
“The emergency chute deploys at 3,000 pounds per square inch within seconds and could easily injure or kill ground crews or others on the tarmac who are unaware the chute has been activated,” he said in a statement. “This would have been a far different arraignment if someone had been standing under the emergency chute when it deployed.”
Brown added that replacing the chute cost the airline $25,000.
Slater allegedly fled from the airport via the AirTrain and drove back to his Belle Harbor residence, according to investigators. Port Authority police caught up with the fugitive who admitted jumping out of the plane and smiled as he was taken away in a police vehicle, the DA’s office said.
JetBlue said it was working with the DA’s office in the investigation.
“At no time was the security or safety of our customers or crew members at risk,” the airline said in a statement.
Slater was released from jail on $2,500 bail and ordered to return to court Sept. 7, Brown said. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, according to the DA.
On his MySpace Web page, Slater said he has been working at several airlines since 1990, including TWA and Delta, and has been “back flying after five years off the job.”
The flight attendant does not shy away for his passion for the airline business on his social network page, claiming to have been Karen Black from the movie “Airport 75” in a former life under his movies section and displaying a map of all of the countries in the world he has traveled to.
Although Slater’s tantrum has angered airline officials, his rant and escape from the jet have become an Internet sensation among people who say they can relate to his work stress. A Facebook fan page had more than 50,000 fans as of Tuesday and was growing.
“I work with the public 40+ years, and can’t believe I haven’t killed someone!!!!!!! People just have no respect and are soooo rude. You are my HERO!!!!!!!!!!!,” one person wrote on the fan page.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
