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Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23 from Oakland to Kahului, Maui has been making headlines this weekend for a couple of strange reasons. One weird event on a plane would be noteworthy – but two back to back is just plain bad luck. The first incident involved a gruesome photo popping up on users’ phones while waiting to pushback. The second occured up in the air when passengers found out what happens when someone takes a canister of pepper spray on a plane.

The Hawaiian Airlines AirDrop incident

So imagine this, you find your seat, fasten your seatbelt and pull out your phone to let the cousins know when you’ll be arriving, only for a crime scene photo involving a small child to pop up on your screen. Not only that but everyone around you got it too. Sounds like the beginning of a horror movie. Turns out it was a 15 year old girl trying to Airdrop a mock-up crime scene, school project image to her Mom. The family was escorted of the plane, the incident investigated and they were rebooked without charges. Still, that was the first 15 minute delay.

The Hawaiian airlines pepper spray incident

The Boeing 767 then took off, but about halfway through the flight travellers in the first class and the premiere section smelled “something unpleasant.” Fellow passengers reported seeing people covering their faces with sweaters and then the smell worsened and some began to cough. If this were on the ground, you’d just leave the area, but on a 787 there’s nowhere to go. People started to panic. Some shouted for the air masks to be dropped. Crew and passengers started getting the classic red, streaming eyes.

The crew suspected it was an accidental pepper spray discharge and moved 12 passengers from First and Premium to the back of the aircraft. Around half an hour later, the pepper spray dissipated and people, although still affected, returned to their seats. The incident didn’t warrant turning back and there aren’t too many alternative airports between California and Hawaii anyway.

After landing in Hawaii, passenger videos show fire and rescue boarding the flight and calmly informing passengers that they will disembark as usual and then be offered treatment. Twelve passengers and three flight attendants were treated for mild respiratory problems.

Are you allowed to take pepper spray on a plane?

In short, no. Whoever brought the can of pepper spray on board will likely be fined and this could be up to $13,000. However, for me and I’m sure many others, we’ll be asking – how come TSA can find the hotel sized hand moisturizer I left in my carry on and not a pepper spray canister? Firstly it was a 1.5 ounces canister, well below the 100ml – 3 US ounces size they restrict. And also, they really can’t find everything. When your bag is scanned, we all know what the image looks like on the screen. It’s not really a precision science. The air industry still relies on passengers to be vigilant about how they pack their own bags.

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In reaction to the pepper spray Hawaiian Airlines have issued the 256 passengers $500 in travel credits. And while they’d prefer cash, this will give Hawaiian a chance to ask customers to “Come Voyage with Us…” once again.