Lessons to learn from in-flight spat between Bohol mayor, stewardess

REMEMBER the Dec. 16 in-flight row between a Zest Air stewardess and Mayor Dan Lim of Tagbilaran City?

The sexual harassment case is now “out of our hands … It’s more of a court matter,” Rico Gonzalez, manager of the NAIA Terminal 4, told the Inquirer. Zest Air flights emanate from Terminal 4, formerly known as the “old Manila Domestic Airport.”

But there were some lessons airline passengers could learn from the incident, noted Gonzalez.

“Use of the toilet while a passenger plane is in flight is not totally prohibited. But there are times when passengers can use it and times when they shouldn’t for their safety. I don’t think the interval is that long. So it’s just a matter of timing,” he said.

Gonzalez added, “there are reasons why we make passengers wait at the airport before they board their planes. One of them is to make themselves ready for the flight.”

Camille Rose Diaz, a Zest Air flight attendant, had filed sexual harassment charges against Lim after he allegedly showed his “private parts” to her and other passengers of the Manila-bound Airbus 320 jet.

Diaz told Capt. Alden Guy, head of the NAIA police intelligence and investigation division, that Zest Air flight Z2 353 from the Bohol capital was taxiing at the NAIA tarmac to its assigned bay at around 4:43 p.m. when it encountered ground traffic.

While the plane’s seat belt sign was still on, Lim – who was seated at 1C — asked Diaz’s permission to relieve himself at the nearest toilet.

Diaz, however, denied the mayor’s request, citing airline safety procedures barring passengers from leaving their seats if the seat belt sign was on.

Lim, 59, reportedly insisted on using the toilet, saying he was a diabetic and really needed to pee.

But the flight attendant stood firm, prompting the irked passenger to unzip his pants, pull down his underwear and ask Diaz in Filipino, “Where do you want me to pee, here?” while holding his genital in front of her and other passengers.

Lim later denied Diaz’s allegations. He also assailed Zest Air for allegedly being insensitive to diabetic passengers like him. /INQUIRER