Gerard Finneran
Gerard Finneran | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Investment banker |
| Known for | 1995 United Airlines Flight 976 air rage incident |
United Airlines Flight 976 operated as a scheduled service from Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on the night of October 19–20, 1995. Upon arrival, passenger Gerard Finneran, an investment banker from Wall Street, was taken into custody by the FBI and faced charges including interference with the flight crew and threatening a flight attendant.
During the journey, after being denied additional alcohol due to intoxication, Finneran became aggressive, threatening one flight attendant and physically assaulting another. He proceeded to enter the first-class section, where notable figures such as Portuguese president Mário Soares and Argentinian foreign minister Guido di Tella, along with their security personnel, were seated. There, Finneran climbed onto a service cart and defecated openly, using linen napkins for cleaning before smearing feces throughout the cabin.
As a result of the unsanitary conditions, food service was suspended; crew members attempted to mask the smell by spraying perfume. The pilots requested permission to divert to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but this was refused due to security concerns related to the dignitaries onboard. Eventually, Finneran calmed down and returned to his seat.
Finneran’s defense contended that he suffered from severe traveler’s diarrhea and was prevented from accessing the first-class lavatory by Soares’s security detail. He entered a guilty plea, receiving a $5,000 fine and two years of probation, agreeing to perform community service and reimbursing United Airlines $48,000 for cleanup expenses and passenger compensation. This event is widely regarded as one of the most infamous instances of air rage.
Flight
Gerard Finneran, a managing director at the Trust Company of the West (TCW) and Wall Street investment banker, was an alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy with an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. His professional background included expertise in Third World debt markets, especially in Latin America, with previous roles at Citibank and Drexel Burnham Lambert. On October 19, he was returning home near Greenwich, Connecticut.
While aboard the flight departing Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Finneran—seated in first class—became unruly after consuming champagne. He insisted on relocating to the crew rest area, citing discomfort with being placed in the smoking section. He roamed through the cabin making threats against crew members, poured champagne for himself contrary to regulations, and physically shoved a flight attendant.
Post-takeoff, despite being served wine responsibly by staff, Finneran continued to help himself to drinks. When instructed by a flight attendant to cease drinking, he threatened physical harm against that crew member, which delayed medical attention for another passenger. The situation escalated until a supervisor intervened and escorted him back to his seat.
Following meal service, Finneran forcibly pushed aside a flight attendant before climbing onto a beverage cart located in the first-class galley area. There he pulled down his trousers and defecated on the floor behind the cart within full view of other passengers. Using linen napkins for cleanup, he then locked himself inside a lavatory. His business associate assisted in unlocking it and helped him return to his seat where both eventually fell asleep after crew covered him with a blanket. To counteract the foul odor, crew sprayed perfume throughout the cabin and canceled further food service due to hygiene concerns; crew rest periods were suspended so attendants could monitor him.
As the aircraft approached Caribbean airspace, pilots sought authorization to divert to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport for removal of Finneran from the plane. This request was denied because first-class passengers included Portuguese President Mário Soares and Argentinian Foreign Minister Guido di Tella accompanied by security teams en route to United Nations’ 50th anniversary events. Emergency landings involving foreign dignitaries are generally avoided unless mechanical issues arise due to heightened security risks.
Arrest and trial
Upon arriving at Kennedy Airport on October 20, Finneran was taken into custody by the Port Authority police alongside the FBI. He was charged with disrupting a flight crew and assaulting a flight attendant, to which he entered a plea of not guilty and secured release on a $100,000 bond. A federal magistrate later revised his bail conditions ten days afterward, mandating participation in alcohol counseling and requiring court approval before any future flying.
Finneran's legal representative refuted claims involving alcohol, attributing his behavior to a severe case of traveler's diarrhea and alleging that the airline refused him access to the first-class restroom despite his assigned seat.
In February 1996, Finneran admitted guilt to threatening a flight attendant, conceding that his anger arose after alcohol service was discontinued. He acknowledged uttering the phrase, "I will bust your ass!" At sentencing, he consented to compensate the airline $1,000 for cleaning expenses and $48,000 for passenger fare reimbursements, as well as completing 300 hours of community service. The court imposed two years of probation, a $5,000 fine, mandatory counseling, and prohibited him from consuming alcohol while flying.
Aftermath and legacy
Finneran's arrest attracted widespread media coverage and became material for comedic acts. David Letterman showcased "Top Ten Gerard Finneran Excuses," and Spy magazine ranked the event 22nd in its 1995 "Spy 100" list highlighting the least likable incidents, remarking on its entertainment appeal surpassing typical in-flight movies.
He passed away in 2004 due to Alzheimer's disease. In subsequent years, he volunteered with South Forty Corporation, assisting former inmates in securing employment and housing. United Airlines continues to assign flight number 976, which now operates between Newark and Shannon, Ireland.
This episode remains a notable reference point for extreme air rage incidents. In 2015, Forbes identified it as challenging to eclipse except by acts involving terrorism. Additionally, in 2006, The Wall Street Journal characterized it as the nadir of intoxicated conduct aboard airplanes.