Long Beach (CA) – I don’t know whether to cry or laugh about this story… a JetBlue passenger is suing the airline for $2 million after he was forced to sit in the bathroom for most of his cross-country flight.  Mr. Gokhan Mutlu says he was “humiliated and dishonored” after the captain ordered him to give up his seat for a stewardess approximately 90 minutes into the five-hour flight.

Mutlu was a standby passenger on the full flight from San Diego to New York on February 23rd.  Initially he was seated in a regular seat, but had to move after a stewardess complained that her jumpseat was uncomfortable.  Mutlu was then guided to the bathroom, while the stewardess took his spot.

According to the lawsuit, the flight experienced severe turbulence while Mutlu was still seated in the bathroom.

Mutlu tells the NY Post that he wouldn’t have sued if he had been allowed to switch seats with the stewardess, but the captain told him that this was against regulations.

Read more … NY Post.

Doesn't Add Up

May 13, 2008 10:05     

Shouldn't the stewardess have been moving that cart up and down the aisle, banging into passengers elbows instead of sitting down? On the flip side, maybe Mutlu reeked with some nasty funk and they put him in the restroom to save him from the other passengers throwing him out the escape hatch..... You never know, it's a crazy world!
Mike Sek report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

What's he got to lose

May 13, 2008 12:00     

Let's face it. If he can get in front of jury, he stands a good chance to walk away with some cash. If this story is true, then I would gladly award him some serious cash if I was on the jury. Did Mutlu have to get up and exit the lavatory every time someone had to use it? I would think the FAA would fine the airline just for the fact that the lavatory does not have any kind of restraint. Putting Mutlu in there would have to be against some sort of safety regulation. On the up side, an ambulance chaser won't go hungry tonight.

jcwbnimble report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Re: Doesn't Add Up

May 13, 2008 13:15     

The stewardess was sitting on the jump seat in the cockpit, which means she wasn't working this flighgt but rather commuting to or from home. What is surprising is that the captain would give her preference over a paying customer. If this case indeed happened like that customer claims then it will be a slam dunk in court and will probably be settled by JetBlue. It's unbelievable to fly in these conditions.

RoOophy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +5

JetBlue & FAA

May 13, 2008 14:02     

I agree with everyone's comments that something does not add up. First and foremost what sticks out in my mind is that *if* this happened, the airline would be out of business because FAA rules prohibit passengers from being anywhere but in their seats during TO and TD. Pardon the pun, but the toilet seat is not a seat and does not have seat belts. I think something else happened and this guy fabricated this nonsense story.

Brian report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -2

Yes this is crazy! Besides the bathroom issue, it's...

May 14, 2008 02:29     

Yes this is crazy! Besides the bathroom issue, it's not a seat that meets proper safety requirements, i.e., no seat belt. That alone could get the man incredibly injured if the plane were to hit really bad turbulence. I would sue the piss out of this stupid airline! Good for him -- hope he gets a truckload!
loosely_coupled report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Total Hoax

May 14, 2008 14:02     

I hope this idiot ends up in jail for a long time. Making up a story like this to extort money from a fine American company is disgusting to me. I hope the press gives it just as much coverage when it is discovered that this jerk made the whole thing up as they have today. The lawyer that took this case should earn a seat right next to him in jail. There is no way Jet Blue would break all kinds of regualtions and do this to someone.

John report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -7

How retarded

May 14, 2008 20:57     

I agree with you all, something just doesnt add up. Did the people on the flight witness this? I think anyone as big as him, sitting in a 2" by 2" bathroom for hours, wouldve well....never FIT in there for starters, not to mention this story is just too WEIRD!
debster report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Not a paying customer

May 16, 2008 15:07     

First of all this guy was flying for free, he is not a paying Customer. If this was true why are there no other passengers from that flight as witnesses? This guy look at him! He looks like a lier, he probably could not get out on another flight and waited at the airport for a long time and finally got on and because he is pissed wants money from jetblue. Or maybe his bag was overweight and he had to pay $20.00. Please people only in America does the media talk about bullshit when we should be talking about how George Bush is sending our children to die in a senseless war in Iraq!

Danny report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

Re: Not a paying customer

May 21, 2008 14:27     

What do you mean he wasn't a paying customer? Just because you fly stand-by, doesn't mean you didn't pay for a ticket.
K report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1