Flight attendant rants at passengers over intercom after five-hour delay at LaGuardia (Video)

Skooter reporting 06/30/12

A weary flight attendant lashed out at passengers who were angry about a five-hour flight delay at LaGuardia, The Post has learned.

American Eagle attendant Jose Serrano got so uptight at one point that the six-year veteran dared petrified passengers get off the plane if they “had the balls” to do it, witnesses said.

One witness an Army veteran Scott Custer, 47, said he has been in five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has been in combat and he never felt anxiety like he did sitting on that plane.

The plane mayhem on Monday which comes on the heels of several high-profile air-rage incidents was sparked when passengers on a scheduled 1:25 p.m. flight to Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina were barred from boarding until nearly 4 p.m. due to rain. As the plane flight 4607 ready to take off, the aircraft got trapped behind 20 other planes lined up on the runway. After 40 minutes, the pilot decided to turn the plane around to refuel, triggering the anger of passengers who were forced to get off at the gate.

After refueling at nearly 6 p.m. the passengers were allowed to re-board. But then again, the flight wouldn’t take off.

Passenger Jon Wurster, drummer at the indie rock band Superchunk said that people were getting really anxious at this point and that it took forever to get back on the plane, the fuses were getting pretty low.

By that time, the flight attendant Serrano started to confront disgruntled passengers, making them uneasy, witnesses said. Several of them had smelled booze on Serrano’s breath. Then Serrano blew his top, yelling over the intercom: “If anyone has the balls to want to get off, I’ll let you get off! Get off!” according to witnesses. “I’m not responsible for the weather!”

He continued sputtering, “I don’t care anymore. This is probably my last flight.”

By then, several passengers refused to fly with Serrano on board and true enough there were three families who left the plane with their kids, sources said.

Several witnesses were questioned and investigated including Serrano by Port Authority cops. FAA officials were also notified and began investigating the incident yesterday, a source said. There was no arrest made.

The flight eventually cancelled after 8 p.m. due to massive rain. There were reports that the flight was canceled because the plane did not have the needed number of flight attendants after Serrano was removed for questioning.

New York Post