Originally Posted by
rickair7777
1. The window was cracked. Remember that SWA? Now I know that the inner liner is just there to keep the next layer from getting scatched, not structural. But the pax don't know that, so you might enable PTSD claims that they were terrified of getting sucked out a broken window for two hours. Also presumably the pilots didn't go back and inspect the window to verify it's structural integrity.
2. The perp is now restrained, and was obviously in some kind of mental state possibly substance-induced. What if he has a medical crisis or dies? It's common enough with restrained perps.
I'm not interested in incurring that kind of liability for either myself or the company over a minor inconvenience. You'd be on your way again in two hours.
Might be worth diverting to a jurisdiction that will actually prosecute.
If the perp only used his fists to bang on the window, I wouldn't have any concern regarding structural integrity.
Maybe the FO was working day 6 and about to need a 32/7, and about to time out for the day, and most stations with company ops were closed for the night that were on the way.
The usual caveats, we weren't there, nor do we know all the moving parts that were happening.
I would talk to dispatch, see what they think, but I wouldn't be spring loaded to divert, assuming he was under control and posed no active threat to anyone.