The CJIA today issued a press release about a US-bound passenger who had to be physically restrained at the airport on Saturday. The release follows.
On Saturday, May 17, 2014 around 3:41 a.m., Sangernette Mason, who was booked on BW 484 for the United States of America, presented herself to the Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Check-in counter at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
According to the CAL officials, the passenger was loud, incoherent and refused to answer any questions to facilitate the process. The Supervisor on duty was called in and after assessing the situation decided that the passenger was not fit to travel, since in his opinion she posed a threat to the aircraft and other passengers on the flight.
The decision triggered a violent reaction. Ms. Mason began throwing shoes and other items from a bag she had in one of her luggage.
One of CJIA’s Aviation Security Officers (ASOs) was summoned and despite her pleadings could not calm the agitated passenger.
The Guyana Police Force was called in and they tried to escort the passenger out of the Check In Area, by this time Ms Mason demeanour changed to one of belligerence.
She ran, positioned herself in front of CAL’s conveyor system – a restricted area where the luggage pass to go on the aircraft – got into a physical altercation with a female officer and threw a garbage bin at the said officer.
Efforts by several law enforcement officers to pacify the passenger – for nearly an hour – proved futile.
Eventually, she was handcuffed and escorted from the terminal and was subsequently released to the care of a relative.