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Smoking / Crime / Airline Hell / Bad Seatmates / Christina Szele / → All Tags

Smokin' Szele Indicted by Federal Grand Jury

Christina Szele, the enraged passenger who allegedly punched a flight attendant after he snatched a lit cigarette from her lips, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver. They say there's enough evidence to prosecute on the original charges of assault and interference with a flight crew--and the jury adds that another charge of assault is in order for Szele's behavior toward a second FA.

The US attorney in the case, Troy Eid, says he's not afraid to make an example of Szele, who authorities say caused such a ruckus that the pilot on her flight had to make an unscheduled stop at Denver International to toss her.

The "anything-goes-on-an-airplane" culture must end. Mess with a commercial flight crew and expect to face the consequences.

And consequences there certainly may be: If found guilty of the interference charge, Szele faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000!

Related Stories:
· Press Release about the Indictment [Official DOJ Site]
· Nicotine Fiend Flips out on JetBlue [Jaunted]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]

Taylor Kircher / Bad Seatmates / Airline Hell / Myspace / → All Tags

Is This Taylor Kircher?

Thank you, Internet. After Taylor Kircher allegedly went bananas on a flight between London and New York, we scoured The Myspace for more info on the guy.

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British Airways / Airlines / Airline Hell / Bad Seatmates / Christina Szele / Taylor Kircher / → All Tags

Drunken Air Rage: Summer's Hottest Trend!

Maybe SAFER is on to something. After a woman allegedly punched a flight attendant and lit up mid-flight, we didn't think in-air drunkenness could get any more outrageous. But meet Taylor Kircher!

The 21-year-old Drexel University student went wild on his British Airways flight from LHR to JFK, authorities say, after he downed an entire bottle of vodka. Among other things, he was masturbating through his clothing, says a federal air marshal:

He stated that he was unable to stop.

After a warning from the captain, flight attendants restrained Kircher with flex cuffs; he then spat in their faces. Before the plane managed to touch down in the States, he made one last threat, says the marshal:

At one point he told a flight crew member that he was going to "blow this plane up if you don't untie my ... feet."

We're trying to find Kircher on Myspace or Facebook... Won't you email us if you find him?

Related Stories:
· Drunk Student Goes Nuts Mid-Flight [NYDN, via]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: prettywar-stl]

JetBlue / Smoking / Airlines / Airline Hell / Bad Seatmates / Christina Szele / → All Tags

Nicotine Fiend Flips out on JetBlue

A packed JetBlue plane flying from New York to San Francisco had to make an emergency landing after a woman flipped out and allegedly punched a flight attendant. The passenger, 35-year-old Christina Szele of Queens, flew into a rage after a member of the crew asked her to put out a cigarette she lit up mid-flight. Szele, a white woman, began cursing and screaming racial epithets at an African-American flight attendant after he plucked the cigarette from her mouth, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

After her outburst, Szele was placed in restraints, but she managed to escape her plastic handcuffs and punch the flight attendant in the face. That's when pilots decided to bring the plane down in Denver in order to throw Szele off the flight.

Now the angry Queens nicotine fiend faces federal charges and up to 20 years in jail. Note to Szele: Cigarettes are pretty tough to come by in prison!

Related Stories:
· Smoking Woman in Air Rage [TSG]
· Affidavit: Woman smoked on flight, then hit flight attendant [KUSATV]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: TSG]

Celeb Travel / Kato Kaelin / Bad Seatmates / → All Tags

Celeb Seatmates: Drinkin' with Kato Kaelin

We've been known to spot celebs in airports. But we've never had the chance to sit next to anyone made famous by the trial of the 20th century. (Unlike at least one of our readers.)

But Grant Martin just published the most hilarious account of a flight we've read in a long time. His seatmate? A vodka-swilling Kato Kaelin:

Kato vanishes for a little while and shows back up with a cute blonde, then he starts buying rounds of Skyy Vodka shots. And the conversation flows around all of the great things that Kato does and the pilot he was shooting and the strange reasons that he wasn't flying in first class.

The young lady mentions that she's hungry, and remembering the spring rolls that my mom packed for me, I produce a dozen soggy pork-filled treats for a snack. And the shots keep coming.

Grant kept boozing it up as the "actor" gave his new blonde buddy an in-seat massage. The pair eventually darted back to the bathroom, but THANK GOD, Kato didn't get into the lav with his lady friend.

Related Stories:
· That One Time I Ripped off Kato Kaelin [Gadling]
· Bad Seatmates: Talkative OJ Ruins Red-Eye [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

OJ Simpson / Delta / Airline Hell / Celeb Travel / Bad Seatmates / → All Tags

Bad Seatmates: Talkative OJ Ruins Red-Eye

We've all been there: Seated next to the worst person on the plane. Just Monday Uncle Jesse (OK, John Stamos) found himself cursing his luck after getting harassed by a fellow passenger. At least he wasn't getting his ear chewed off by OJ Simpson.

The New York Post says The Juice was gabbing away on a Delta red-eye from Las Vegas to Fort Lauderdale after his sleeping pill failed to kick in. Weighing on Simpson's mind were his latest legal troubles, which our sis site HotelChatter has been following.

Also of interest to OJ was Dos Equis; Simpson wondered if it was truly authentic Mexican beer. He's also apparently a live music fan, and his favorite show ever was Stevie Wonder at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. OJ will be flying back to Nevada in a couple weeks for an arraignment, so you've still got time to switch those Florida to Vegas tickets from Delta to another carrier.

Related Stories:
· OJ's Wacky In-Flight Seminar [NYP]
· Louisville Steakhouse is OJ Free [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Getty, via LA Times]