Flight Attendant's Last Act Of Defiance?

[Glenn Quagmire]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/united-airlines-flight-attendant-opens-emergency-door-deploys-slide-after-plane-lands-at-bush-iah

Traveler Sharon Lovedahl said. "Why would she do that?"

Neither United nor investigators have revealed what led to the flight attendant's quick exit, but she doesn't appear to be too ruffled in the video.

 

[Kev3188]

Good thing no one was working immediately below that door...

 

[FWAAA]

Wow.  Someone could have been hurt when that slide inflated.
 
I disagree with the Channel 2 Legal analyst, Brian Wice, who says in his opinion it’s unlikely this flight attendant will be charged with a crime.   I agree with that part - He's correct that it's unlikely that the FA will be charged, but here's the part with which I disagree:
 

 
 
“I can’t see any wrong doing on a local state or federal level that this flight attendant might have engaged in,” he said. "She didn’t act to put herself, the flight crew or any of those passengers that are on the United plane at risk.”

Her SIDA badge isn't an "all-access" pass - she was probably guilty of criminal trespass when she landed on the ramp without permission and without an actual emergency.   No different than if a passenger intentionally popped the slide and exited the plane in the absence of permission or an actual emergency.  
 
I'm less sure about the next possible criminal charge - but a popped slide is a multi-thousand dollar event for United, and a DA might be able to argue that it's criminal mischief/vandalism to intentionally inflict that kind of financial damage on the airline.  

 

[jimntx]

I agree.  Not only is there the actual cost of re-packing and testing the slide which is not a small amount.  There is the lost opportunity for that plane to be in the air making money while the repacking and testing is going on.
 
I wonder if the flight attendant ever considered that this event will follow her to every job interview she has from now on.  Going out in a "blaze of glory" is fine if you have a trust fund that's about to mature.  Not so much if you have to find another job to support yourself.  There are not that many employers who will say, "Good for you.  I guess you showed United, didn't you?"

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I agree.  Not only is there the actual cost of re-packing and testing the slide which is not a small amount.  There is the lost opportunity for that plane to be in the air making money while the repacking and testing is going on.
 
I wonder if the flight attendant ever considered that this event will follow her to every job interview she has from now on.  Going out in a "blaze of glory" is fine if you have a trust fund that's about to mature.  Not so much if you have to find another job to support yourself.  There are not that many employers who will say, "Good for you.  I guess you showed United, didn't you?"

Hopefully she had a winning lottery ticket in her hand on the way down the slide.

 

[D7571987]

If the company she was working for had taken care of her groups contract 3 or 4 or 5 years ago I bet this lady wouldnt have been so stressed out and wouldnt have snapped. 

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

http://heavy.com/news/2016/04/julia-price-who-is-name-of-united-airlines-flight-attendant-open-door-emergency-exit-slide-photo-video-houston/