LIFE IMITATES TOOB

CHANTILLY, Va. (Sept. 13) -- A man wearing military fatigues and throwing punches into the air tried to open the exit door of a jet during a cross-country flight on Tuesday night, airline officials and passengers said.

United Airlines Flight 890 from Los Angeles landed as scheduled at Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:35 p.m., said Amy Kudwa, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman. No one was injured.

Ken Wolfenberger, of Whittier, Calif., who was on the flight, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that he helped subdue the unruly passenger.

Wolfenberger said he heard a flight attendant yell for help and tell the man, "Sir, get your hand off the handle."

Wolfenberger said the man was held down and punched by other passengers as he grabbed the man's leg. Air marshals then came and took custody of the man.

Sound familiar?

'C.S.I.' - "UNFRIENDLY SKIES"
Grissom and his team investigate the death of a first class passenger on a flight to Las Vegas. The investigators are forced not only to examine the physical evidence, but also to interview all of the first class passengers to get their personal accounts of the incident.
- from TV.com

I remember seeing that episode again after the events of 9/11, I wondered how the ending might have changed had it been made after the collapse of the Twin Towers. Because Grissom's attitude was disdainful towards the passengers for taking the forceful action they did against their unruly passenger.

Post 9/11, he would probably have congratulated them. There's too much at stake once you're in the air, not only for the passengers and crew on board but also for the people down below should it crash.

It's a little moment like that, just an attitude, that can date a TV show episode as much as fashion and the make of an automobile.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby