A FACEBOOK fan page for Steven Slater, the JetBlue flight attendant who hurled obscenities at passengers over the airliner’s PA system before leaving the plane via its inflatable emergency chute, had more than 30,000 fans overnight, just one day after the incident.
As of Tuesday afternoon local time, more than 30,000 people “liked” the fan page, established after Mr Slater responded to a passenger’s profane comment with a torrent of profanity of his own – over the plane’s public address system – before taking two beers and sliding down the emergency chute to his car. Many of his fans are other flight attendants cheering Mr Slater’s actions as something they wished they could do.
On the fan page, one person wrote, “We (flight attendants) secretly have thought about doing this…..you are my hero for taking a stand on flight attendant abuse!!!!”
Another said, “Kudos to you, I am a former flight attendant and only wish I had the nerve to do what you did!!!!!!”
Mr Slater, 39, was charged with second and fourth degree criminal mischief, third degree criminal trespass and first and second degree criminal endangerment, Fox News Channel reported. He now faces up to seven years in prison. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment overnight in Queens, N.Y. and was released on $US2500 bail.
“I think he can”t believe the amount of attention he’s getting,” Mr Slater’s lawyer Howard Turman said outside the courthouse.
Mr Slater’s personal Facebook page lists “fashion, interior decorating, spirituality and recovery” among his interests. The only book he references is Alcoholics Anonymous, Twelve and Twelve.
Mr Slater has been charged with second and fourth degree criminal mischief, third degree criminal trespass and first and second degree criminal endangerment.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held on $US2500 ($2,740) bail.
Be the first to comment