Man Sues Jet Blue After Having To Spend Hours In Toilet

A New York City man is suing JetBlue Airways Corp. for more than $2 million because he says a pilot made him give up his seat to a flight attendant and sit on the toilet for more than three hours on a flight from California.

Gokhan Mutlu, of Manhattan's Inwood section, says in court papers the pilot told him to "go 'hang out' in the bathroom" about 90 minutes into the San Diego to New York flight because the flight attendant complained that the "jump seat" she was assigned was uncomfortable, the lawsuit said.

Mutlu was traveling on a a "buddy pass," a standby travel voucher that JetBlue employees give to friends, from New York to San Diego on Feb. 16, and returned to New York on Feb. 23, the lawsuit said.

Initially, Mutlu was told a flight attendant had taken the last seat on the plane, but then he was advised she would sit in the employee "jump seat," meaning he could have the last seat, the lawsuit said.

The pilot told him 1 1/2 hours into the five-hour flight that he would have to relinquish the seat to the flight attendant, court papers say. But the pilot said that Mutlu could not sit in the jump seat because only JetBlue employees were permitted to sit there, the lawsuit said.

When Mutlu expressed reluctance to go sit in the bathroom, the pilot, who was not named in the lawsuit, told him that "he was the pilot, that this was his plane, under his command that (Mutlu) should be grateful for being on board," the lawsuit said.

The aircraft hit turbulence and passengers were directed to return to their seats, but "the plaintiff had no seat to return to, sitting on a toilet stool with no seat belts," court papers say.

Some time later, a male flight attendant knocked on the restroom door and told Mutlu he could return to his original seat, court papers say.

Mutlu's lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan's state Supreme Court, says JetBlue negligently endangered him by not providing him with a seat with a safety belt or harness, in violation of federal law.

A JetBlue spokesman declined comment on the lawsuit Monday.

Comments

[Sundialsvc4]

I think we should just hand this guy a mirror with a label at the bottom that says "IDIOT."

[MarkInEugene]

I'd say about 5 years ago, flying became my number 1 worst form of transportation.

When planes are two first class seats across with an aisle in the middle, I'd consider flying again.

[loki]

If this did happen the way its claimed, I would hope he ends up owning Jet Blue. Arrogant corporate Aholes.

Wonder if he knows if Jet Blues toilet water if blue?

[FirstShirt]

Ok, maybe I'm being insensitve but I would have negotiated more drinks and food and just enjoyed not having to worry about waiting in line.

[BOBZILLA]

I recently flew jetBlue from CA to Boston. On my right a mother changed her screaming infant's loaded diaper, while on my left the young man suffering from Tourette's syndrome hooted and hollered his way across the country.

I dreamed of being allowed to sit in the toilet.

[digoweli]

The man is a shill for the airlines who want to do away with the benefit to their employees and their families. This gives them an excuse with their employees. Digoweli

[MajorKong]

I saw this on the airline pilot forums. Keep in mind this is third or fourth hand so I don't know how accurate it really is:

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/showthread.php?t=26381

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

this is what another JB pilot who talked to one of our crew members on the flight posted on the same forum:

FWIW, I talked to a crewmember on the flight.
Our fearless nonrev has slightly misrepresented facts.

Consider:
The pass rider was savvy enough to ask to speak to Captain when he discovered there were no seats.

He begged CA to help him get on flight - excersising Caring value CA said he would ASK jumpseating (Not DH) FA if she was willing to give up seat for pass rider. She was.

CA goes about business. When on bathroom break, non rev approaches barrier and again really thanks CA for helping him get on. CA replies no problem - I didn't really do anything -if you want to say thanks its the FA who gave up her seat..have a nice day.

Sees nonrev after flight - very upset. He let FA sit in his seat and she fell asleep. Other FA's would (correctly) not let him sit on FA jumpseat. He was too timid to wake up FA and didn't know what to do.

Figures out what to do and files 2 million dollar lawsuit.

[situationcritical]

There are so many holes in that alternate version I wouldn't know where to begin.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

Pay your way = comfortable seat.
Free pass = take what seat they give you.

Could it have been handled better? Probably. Lawsuit? Not so much.

[MajorKong]

It's against the FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations) for the Captain to make a passenger sit in the lavatory. There are no seatbelts in there and it would be a dangerous place to be in turbulence.

I jumpseat to and from work all the time. It's nice to get one of the comfortable seats, but I'll gladly ride on the "ironing board" if that's what it takes to get where I'm going and I'll thank the Captain for the ride when we get there.

[Bushwillresign]

Where are the comfortable seats on an airplane?
Democrat Free pass = You will have a seat for the plane ride.
Republican Free pass = You will have to sit in the lavatory.

America = You will be sued if you try to make someone sit in the lavatory for a commercial plane ride from one side of America to the other. Get a grip, Beave.

[RoseMerry]

I would award Mr. Mutlu's lawyer $50,000 and then Mr. Multu himself $100,000. If these two are still employed by JetBlue, I would require them to pay that plus court costs. If JetBlue did the right thing and fired this attendent and pilot, I would required them to pay JetBlue back that money after they have new jobs. I would have them court supervised until that payment is done.

And thank you for tuning in to Judge RoseMary's Fantasy Court!

[DMSmith]

Has anyone considered that the pilot's choice here, caused one of the badly-needed restrooms to be un-usable for the remaining passengers. I'd bet this, too, is against FAA regs!!

[SharonB]

OOO! You said it! My 57 year old bladder would have been telling me to grab a parchute and go wee wee wee.... all the way down!

[hypnotoad72]

Apart from getting on the flight for cheap or for free, what does a "buddy pass" entitle? Is that not the core concern that should be addressed?

If only he was on without the benefit of that pass, the case would probably be far easier to decide.

[leftypower]

I think he was supposed to be clinging to his religion, as he certainly wouldn't have gotten on the plane with a gun.

[situationcritical]

Well then, wouldn't it be the fault of the airline itself for creating the "buddy pass"?

[MajorKong]

A buddy pass is a cheap or free ticket usually given to airline employees or their family members. It entitles to fly as a passenger on a "space available" basis. You're last in line after the full fare customers. It used to be a good deal but no so much anymore because the planes are usually full.

A jumpseat is for FAA inspectors or company check pilots giving line checks to the flight crew. Since they're rarely being used for that purpose, most airlines allow pilots and flight attendants to use them to get to work (a lot of airline employees don't live in the city they're based out of). As a professional courtesy, many airlines have reciprocal agreements with other airlines to use each others jumpseats.

[SharonB]

This story just gets more and more insane.
How does that flight attendant justify causing all that trouble?
The "jump seat" may not be comfortable, but since when is any seat on a JetBlue plane that comfortable? I am sure the new seat wasn' t that much better than the "jump seat".
This attendant should have acted like a grown up and kept her word to sit in that seat. Especially since the passenger was forbidden to sit in the seat that the attendat didn't want.
The pilot should have made the attendant keep her rump in the "jump seat". He acted just as badly and immaturely as the attendant did.

[IndependentMeans]

All those saying two million is a lot, remember, the lawyer get quite a bit of that. The man will probably end up with not all that much.

[totalliberal]

Yikes, I guess you don't have to be very bright to be a Jet Blue pilot. " Duh, wonder what this lever does"?

[LudwigVan]

As much as I'm opposed to frivolous lawsuits, a two-million dollar judgement sounds fair in this situation. The pilot in particular should be punished. This was not only unjust treatment of a paying passenger, but putting someone in a lavatory with no seatbelt can be harmful.

Something else I noticed: the passenger's name is Turkish. A lot of Turks look very European, but maybe he "looked Middle Eastern". I wonder if there's discrimination and post-9/11 fearmongering involved here.

[HermioneGranger]

Turks look middle-easternish, because they are Middle Easterns. They neither nor look European.

Having said that, of course that man has been mistreated and deserves compensation.

[UncleJimbo]

In my 9 years living in the UK,while in the USAF,I traveled extensively throughout Europe,the Middle east and North Africa,and met quite a few Turks who could pass for Greeks,Italians,French or Spanish!

[situationcritical]

Many Turks look European. Spend some time in Instanbul. In fact, spend some time away from the states for an education.

[bubbainca]

You havent met many Turks have you? You might want to change your login name.