American Crew Gets Detained At Gru
- Thread starter etops1
- Start date
Also the rules are different at every PORT. In one station customs never even comes on the plane to see if anyone is left on board.LiveInAHotel said:Do you want to go through another 9/11? This is reality now so get use to it. We don't "stomp" all over people's civil rights. If someone traveling to our country doesn't want to follow the rules to get into the USA, then they can just take their a** right back to the place they came from.
WingNaPrayer
Veteran
Brazil fines American Airlines pilot for gesture
Raised finger at security screening prompts official ire
SAO PAULO, Brazil - An American Airlines pilot was fined nearly $13,000 Wednesday on accusations he made an obscene gesture when being photographed at the airport as part of entry requirements for U.S. citizens, officials said.
Brazil imposed the new rules that Americans be fingerprinted and photographed at entry points in response the similar rules in the United States for citizens of Brazil and other countries whose citizens need visas to enter.
The pilot, Dale Robin Hersh, lifted his middle finger while undergoing the new security process at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, said federal prosecutor Matheus Baraldi Magnani.
Police accused the pilot of showing contempt to authorities, a crime in Brazil, and escorted him to a nearby federal courthouse for possible formal charges.
No charges to be filed
However, Hersh agreed to pay a fine before he leaves Brazil in exchange for no charges being filed, the prosecutor said.
“Since this was a minor crime I proposed that he be fined 36,000 reals ($12,750), which will later be donated to a home for the elderly,†Magnani told reporters.
Hersh was freed on his own recognizance. The prosecutor said Hersh expected to pay the fine Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear where Hersh was staying Wednesday night.
The prosecutor said Hersh could have faced charges punishable by up to two years in jail.
Crew detained
Hersh’s 10-member crew was detained inside the airport when the incident began Wednesday morning and was not allowed to enter Brazil. Police said the crew was not charged with anything and was returning to the United States on an evening flight.
American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin said the incident was the result of a misunderstanding.
‘The company apologizes to the Brazilian government, the airport authorities, the police or anyone else who may have perceived anything they believe to have been disrespectful.’
— Martha Pantin
American Airlines spokeswoman
“The company apologizes to the Brazilian government, the airport authorities, the police or anyone else who may have perceived anything they believe to have been disrespectful,†Pantin said.
Late Wednesday, when asked if the airline was paying the fine, Patin said: “We are taking care of any Brazilian government levies at this time.â€
The incident is the latest flap in a growing diplomatic spat between Brazil and the United States.
The Brazilian requirement was first imposed at the order of a federal judge, but on Monday it became the government’s official policy, citing the diplomatic concept of “reciprocity.â€
On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked President Bush to drop the visa requirement for Brazilians entering the United States, while Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said the requirement could lead to a souring between the two nations.
“Recent episodes, such as the new system of identification of travelers, create a negative climate in public opinion with inevitable political implications, which is not in the interest of the two countries,†the ministry said.
But in Rio de Janeiro, tourism officials are trying to console American tourists arriving at the airport by treating them to samba music and dancers and giving them flowers, jewelry and T-shirts.
Brazil currently requires Americans to have visas to enter Brazil because of reciprocity.
Raised finger at security screening prompts official ire
SAO PAULO, Brazil - An American Airlines pilot was fined nearly $13,000 Wednesday on accusations he made an obscene gesture when being photographed at the airport as part of entry requirements for U.S. citizens, officials said.
Brazil imposed the new rules that Americans be fingerprinted and photographed at entry points in response the similar rules in the United States for citizens of Brazil and other countries whose citizens need visas to enter.
The pilot, Dale Robin Hersh, lifted his middle finger while undergoing the new security process at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, said federal prosecutor Matheus Baraldi Magnani.
Police accused the pilot of showing contempt to authorities, a crime in Brazil, and escorted him to a nearby federal courthouse for possible formal charges.
No charges to be filed
However, Hersh agreed to pay a fine before he leaves Brazil in exchange for no charges being filed, the prosecutor said.
“Since this was a minor crime I proposed that he be fined 36,000 reals ($12,750), which will later be donated to a home for the elderly,†Magnani told reporters.
Hersh was freed on his own recognizance. The prosecutor said Hersh expected to pay the fine Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear where Hersh was staying Wednesday night.
The prosecutor said Hersh could have faced charges punishable by up to two years in jail.
Crew detained
Hersh’s 10-member crew was detained inside the airport when the incident began Wednesday morning and was not allowed to enter Brazil. Police said the crew was not charged with anything and was returning to the United States on an evening flight.
American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin said the incident was the result of a misunderstanding.
‘The company apologizes to the Brazilian government, the airport authorities, the police or anyone else who may have perceived anything they believe to have been disrespectful.’
— Martha Pantin
American Airlines spokeswoman
“The company apologizes to the Brazilian government, the airport authorities, the police or anyone else who may have perceived anything they believe to have been disrespectful,†Pantin said.
Late Wednesday, when asked if the airline was paying the fine, Patin said: “We are taking care of any Brazilian government levies at this time.â€
The incident is the latest flap in a growing diplomatic spat between Brazil and the United States.
The Brazilian requirement was first imposed at the order of a federal judge, but on Monday it became the government’s official policy, citing the diplomatic concept of “reciprocity.â€
On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked President Bush to drop the visa requirement for Brazilians entering the United States, while Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said the requirement could lead to a souring between the two nations.
“Recent episodes, such as the new system of identification of travelers, create a negative climate in public opinion with inevitable political implications, which is not in the interest of the two countries,†the ministry said.
But in Rio de Janeiro, tourism officials are trying to console American tourists arriving at the airport by treating them to samba music and dancers and giving them flowers, jewelry and T-shirts.
Brazil currently requires Americans to have visas to enter Brazil because of reciprocity.
What a pathatic ignorant statement! American citizens are being singled out and mistreated and WE'RE the bully's! We've become so accustomed to being Pimp slapped by other countries that to protest it is to "Bully"! No wonder people in other countries feel free to spit on, hit or even kill Americans. What Wimps we've become! :down:Garfield1966 said:
ITRADE
Veteran
Bully????? Perhaps Brazil would like to return all those billions of US dollars that have been pumped into that economy over the years. The bully could just as well walk away.
On the subject of pictures......If they want a picture then fine. Let them have the picture. If the pictures are used for security reasons then that is fine. But if the only reason they want a pilots "mug" shot is for retaliation purposes then that is dead wrong. IMO, it was funny.
On the subject of pictures......If they want a picture then fine. Let them have the picture. If the pictures are used for security reasons then that is fine. But if the only reason they want a pilots "mug" shot is for retaliation purposes then that is dead wrong. IMO, it was funny.
WingNaPrayer
Veteran
Finally, someone to agree with! I thought it was funny as all hell! What I'm waiting for now is to hear about all the South Americans that come to the U.S. and will now start using their social finger for their prints, and then flipping it for the camera! It could be a fabulous! P.R. campaign!
Luckily, AA ponied up the 13K to bail the pilot out, pretty much just so they can get him back into the U.S., then fire his ass!
Luckily, AA ponied up the 13K to bail the pilot out, pretty much just so they can get him back into the U.S., then fire his ass!
Royal Ambassador
Advanced
- Nov 24, 2003
- 142
- 20
The $13,000 AA ponied up to pay the fine is but a fraction of the cost of taking a long delay of the return flight in order to allow AA to deadhead a replacement pilot. Depending on when this crew was scheduled to fly back to the US, AA would probably have had to put some passengers up in a hotel pending the rescheduled departure.
The decision by the airline to pay the fine was simply a smart business decision.
I cannot say that I am overly impressed by civil liberties in Brazil. The possibility of a two years prison sentence for showing disrespect to the authorities sounds more consistent with Saddam Hussein's Iraq or Hitler's Germany than with a western hemisphere democracy.
While the issue of fingerprinting of visitors to the US raises some concern, the policy was announced months in advance and was implemented in a uniform manner to all visitors from non visa exempt countries. The electronic process itself is quick and relatively unintrusive. In contrast, the Brazilians implemented their policy as an ill prepared knee jerk reaction to the American policy. Only US citizens are subjected to the process as opposed to all those who need visas to enter Brazil. If that were not enough, they are taking ink impressions and some are standing in line for eight to nine hours to wait for the pleasure. Brazil is trying to join the list of nations that enjoy visa free entry to the United States, that is the only reason that American citizens need visas to enter Brazil, but that is not likely to happen as long as Brazil leads most nations in the number of its visitors to the US who overstay their entry permit.
Wouldn’t if be grand if there is a massive boycott of the Carnival in Rio next month due to this silly tit-for-tat?
The decision by the airline to pay the fine was simply a smart business decision.
I cannot say that I am overly impressed by civil liberties in Brazil. The possibility of a two years prison sentence for showing disrespect to the authorities sounds more consistent with Saddam Hussein's Iraq or Hitler's Germany than with a western hemisphere democracy.
While the issue of fingerprinting of visitors to the US raises some concern, the policy was announced months in advance and was implemented in a uniform manner to all visitors from non visa exempt countries. The electronic process itself is quick and relatively unintrusive. In contrast, the Brazilians implemented their policy as an ill prepared knee jerk reaction to the American policy. Only US citizens are subjected to the process as opposed to all those who need visas to enter Brazil. If that were not enough, they are taking ink impressions and some are standing in line for eight to nine hours to wait for the pleasure. Brazil is trying to join the list of nations that enjoy visa free entry to the United States, that is the only reason that American citizens need visas to enter Brazil, but that is not likely to happen as long as Brazil leads most nations in the number of its visitors to the US who overstay their entry permit.
Wouldn’t if be grand if there is a massive boycott of the Carnival in Rio next month due to this silly tit-for-tat?
linevans60
Newbie
- Dec 21, 2003
- 5
- 0
Irresponsible on the part of the pilot. AA should fire him. I do not want to get on a fight with him. He showed no regard for the passengers and his crew. There is no room for pilots who do that.
Here's a quote from the extreme leftist Judge, that imposed this rule on US citizens, on the new US Fingerprinting/photographing process. "Xenophobic and worthy of the worst horrors of the Nazis". Great guy! How would you like him judging you?Royal Ambassador said:
I hope people don't avoid Rio. Its a wonderful city and the city gov is fighting this stupid law that they know could hurt their tourism industry.
LiveInAHotel
Veteran
- Nov 5, 2003
- 645
- 0
Hello????? They applied for them prior to 9/11!!MiAAmi said:
LiveInAHotel
Veteran
- Nov 5, 2003
- 645
- 0
1. If you can read and understand English (I highly doubt you can) that guy shipped himself on UPS!!Garfield1966 said:
2. Oh by the way, I wrote an 11 page report on you and filed with AA today against you for violation of AA Rules of Conduct. In case you're wondering how it was 11 pages? All of your posts that had negative remarks towards flight attendants from this BB were included. Let me say this, I wasn't the only one who filed on you.
I hope you have a good union representative! Oh wait, you don't have a union.
LiveInAHotel
Veteran
- Nov 5, 2003
- 645
- 0
He doesn't have all the answers. He just sits behind his little desk in DFW and makes phone calls, screws flight attendants, eats his donuts, chews his Skoal wondering if he could come up with an answer.Hopeful said:
