JetBlue to issue refunds, vouchers after pilot’s erratic episode

JetBlue will give passengers aboard Flight 191 a one-way airfare refund and a voucher for double the amount of their original ticket, the company said online Wednesday.

The compensation comes after the pilot of the plane flipped out during the Tuesday flight from New York to Las Vegas and had to be restrained by passengers.

“We’re extremely grateful to the customers who assisted with onboard security, and to all of the customers for following crew member instructions,” the airline posted on its blog and Facebook page.

JetBlue also posted answers to 10 most-asked questions about the flight in which pilot Clayton Frederick Osbon’s erratic behavior included yelling about a bomb and telling passengers to say their prayers. The flight was diverted to Amarillo, Texas, and an off-duty pilot who happened to be on board took over.

Here are some of the Q&As from JetBlue:

“What would have happened if there hadn’t been an off-duty Captain on the flight to step in?

“Both Captains and First Officers are trained to fly our aircraft. Our First Officer was the pilot in command yesterday (in control of the aircraft from takeoff to landing) and the off-duty Captain stepped in to help.”

JetBlue refused to comment on the pilot’s medical status or to speculate on worst-case scenarios of what could have happened on the flight.

Osbon, 49, was charged in federal court Wednesday on suspicion of interfering with in-flight crew members, CBS News reports.