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SWA stealing from Northwest in Chicago

The title thread is misleading, SWA did not steal from NWA, a new hire on his first day did it.

You should have it corrected.
 
He didn't know it, but a mechanic at Midway Airport was being watched by airline security when he allegedly tried to steal medical supplies from a plane last week.

Anthony J. Donato, 30, of Crestwood, was arrested on his first day on the job with Southwest Airlines during an investigation into employee theft of medical bags on planes, officials said.

Donato, who had his first court appearance Friday, is charged with one count of burglary in connection with a June 30 incident aboard a Northwest Airlines plane.

Security officers for Northwest allegedly spotted Donato boarding the plane shortly after 1 a.m. with a flashlight and a screwdriver, the Cook County state's attorney office said.

Two officers who were stationed on the plane stopped Donato after he went into a closet and allegedly removed a medical bag containing bandages, painkillers and other supplies intended for sick passengers.

At least one other incident happened at Midway on June 20 when vials of painkillers were stolen from a medical bag on a Northwest plane, Chicago Police said.

Donato faces three to seven years in prison if convicted of the burglary charge. He has been fired by Southwest, a spokeswoman said.


If you read into the story, the same problem occurred on a NW aircraft at MDW on more than one occasion. Also, the individual that was arrested was working his first shift at Southwest. You would wonder - how could anyone on their first day with WN know the contents of an XMK and where they are located on a NW aircraft...unless they had prior knowledge of the subject. :huh:

I would venture to guess that this mechanic was performing contract maintenance for NW at MDW for some time and was somehow involved in the prior thefts. Then, when he got hired at WN, he decided to pick up where he left off.

I may be way off base with my theory, but if it is true, it just goes to show that those are the types of individuals that NW feels are acceptable in performing maintenance on their aircraft.
 
yes it does. wonder if ther are any meds out there for that disease?
 
He didn't know it, but a mechanic at Midway Airport was being watched by airline security when he allegedly tried to steal medical supplies from a plane last week.

Anthony J. Donato, 30, of Crestwood, was arrested on his first day on the job with Southwest Airlines during an investigation into employee theft of medical bags on planes, officials said.

Donato, who had his first court appearance Friday, is charged with one count of burglary in connection with a June 30 incident aboard a Northwest Airlines plane.

Security officers for Northwest allegedly spotted Donato boarding the plane shortly after 1 a.m. with a flashlight and a screwdriver, the Cook County state's attorney office said.

Two officers who were stationed on the plane stopped Donato after he went into a closet and allegedly removed a medical bag containing bandages, painkillers and other supplies intended for sick passengers.

At least one other incident happened at Midway on June 20 when vials of painkillers were stolen from a medical bag on a Northwest plane, Chicago Police said.

Donato faces three to seven years in prison if convicted of the burglary charge. He has been fired by Southwest, a spokeswoman said.


What a Dumbshite, wonder if he was sipping on a Budweiser on his way to work as well?
 
Did PTO get hired at SWA???
:lol: Sorry to disappoint you AMFAMAN but it was not me. I was over a thousand miles away that day. Just a thought here, if the guy worked for Northwest he wouldn't need a screwdriver he could just use a key. Also I would like to add that these XMK's aren't exactly hidden, there is a placard on the doors of the bins where they are located. You guys act as if every airline has secret hiding places for these kits.

Besides I wouldn't work for SWA, I'm holding out for AA. 😉
 
:lol: Sorry to disappoint you AMFAMAN but it was not me. I was over a thousand miles away that day. Just a thought here, if the guy worked for Northwest he wouldn't need a screwdriver he could just use a key. Also I would like to add that these XMK's aren't exactly hidden, there is a placard on the doors of the bins where they are located. You guys act as if every airline has secret hiding places for these kits.

Besides I wouldn't work for SWA, I'm holding out for AA. 😉
You couldn't work for SWA, AMFA has your name on a scab list. 'Cods, do you know what the SWA pay rate is? Much more than AA, or any other airline for that matter. Of course, you couldn't get in the front door at any airline, so you'd have to be a scab. You'll be waiting a long time for an AA scab job, the twu will never strike. 😉
 
man if he did, then SWA may be the next unsafe airline! :up: 🙄 :lol: 😀 😛


They already are. I won't let my family fly on them anymore. After several bad experiences with low budget airlines. I stay away. (I have not tried jetblue yet, wrong markets.) I fly lots and am now staying with the full service carriers. sorry die hard swa fans, flame away.
 
They already are. I won't let my family fly on them anymore. After several bad experiences with low budget airlines. I stay away. (I have not tried jetblue yet, wrong markets.) I fly lots and am now staying with the full service carriers. sorry die hard swa fans, flame away.

I'm not a SWA fan by any means, but lets get a few facts striaght. They have one common fleet 737s. Everything from Ops to Maintenance is much more simplified at SWA due to one fleet type. Add to that the pay SWA employees earn and they fact they are the ONLY airline profitable in EVERY quarter since 9/11. Content workforce + Vanilla Ops & Simplified Maintenance + Profitability should = Reliable Aircraft. JMHO. I'd be much more concerned flying with a company that has a myriad of fleet types, unhappy workforce and going broke!
 
He didn't know it, but a mechanic at Midway Airport was being watched by airline security when he allegedly tried to steal medical supplies from a plane last week.

Anthony J. Donato, 30, of Crestwood, was arrested on his first day on the job with Southwest Airlines during an investigation into employee theft of medical bags on planes, officials said.

Donato, who had his first court appearance Friday, is charged with one count of burglary in connection with a June 30 incident aboard a Northwest Airlines plane.

Security officers for Northwest allegedly spotted Donato boarding the plane shortly after 1 a.m. with a flashlight and a screwdriver, the Cook County state's attorney office said.

Two officers who were stationed on the plane stopped Donato after he went into a closet and allegedly removed a medical bag containing bandages, painkillers and other supplies intended for sick passengers.

At least one other incident happened at Midway on June 20 when vials of painkillers were stolen from a medical bag on a Northwest plane, Chicago Police said.

Donato faces three to seven years in prison if convicted of the burglary charge. He has been fired by Southwest, a spokeswoman said.


If you read into the story, the same problem occurred on a NW aircraft at MDW on more than one occasion. Also, the individual that was arrested was working his first shift at Southwest. You would wonder - how could anyone on their first day with WN know the contents of an XMK and where they are located on a NW aircraft...unless they had prior knowledge of the subject. :huh:

I would venture to guess that this mechanic was performing contract maintenance for NW at MDW for some time and was somehow involved in the prior thefts. Then, when he got hired at WN, he decided to pick up where he left off.

I may be way off base with my theory, but if it is true, it just goes to show that those are the types of individuals that NW feels are acceptable in performing maintenance on their aircraft.
Sounds very possible. I thought I saw something that this thief was former ATA, but I'll have to research where I heard/saw this.
 
Here's an update on the MDW alleged theft incident. Amazingly, the guy beat the rap! 😱

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-met29.html

Burglary charge dropped

A felony burglary charge was dropped Friday against a former Midway mechanic after a witness in the case failed to show up in court, the Cook County state's attorney's office said. Anthony J. Donato, 30, of Crestwood, was arrested June 30 after he allegedly tried to steal medical supplies from a Northwest Airlines plane, prosecutors said. At the time, Donato -- who worked for Southwest Airlines -- was being watched by airline security, authorities said. The case was dropped after a Northwest Airlines employee failed to show up in court, said Marcy Jensen, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.


Any ideas as to why the NW employee didn't show up? I'll bet that the company wants to hire this guy as a scab - and they didn't want a felony conviction to show up on his backround check... :lol:
 
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