>>...
>>>
>>>And while it is the crew's (pilot's in fact, I'm pretty sure) responsibility to do everything they must to ensure a safe flight, I believe that people who are afraid of other passengers on the flight ought to be the one(s) asked to take some other flight if it gets to someone being asked to leave the plane. That addresses the fear in the most equitable way possible, and in the safest way possible.
>>>All passengers are through thorough security by the time they are at the gate. Even if the way someone acts gives me the willies, the idea that they therefore jeopardize my safety is a problem *I* have, not the willies-giving person nor the airline's.
>>>There is no reasonable logic in removing the person who gives me the creeps from the flight. There is good logic in removing me from the flight if I complain about a person making me nervous.
>>
>>Tell you what - call it selfishness, if you like, or whatever - but if I'm on my way on holiday, with my family, and a group of weirdos are creeping me out about the flight, and I'm concerned for our safety, it's not gonna be me who volunteers to take another flight; I'm gonna do my darndest to get *them* off!
>
>Sure, that's how everyone (selfishly) expects it to be handled.
>But how would you take it if the pilot said you have the problem so you and the family should get off?

>My bet is that you'd say that was totally unacceptable, given that you would have to find alternate transport for your family. Yet it would be perfectly fine for the person causing you concern to have to do exactly the same!?

It's unlikely the pilot would order me off for raising a concern. On the contrary, I'd guess that, in this day and age and climate, an airline would appreciate a punter being concerned about the safety of the a/c and its crew, not to mention its passengers. If the authorities refused to do anything about my concerns then it'd be up to me to decide whether to take the "risk". Remember we live in a soc. used to acts of terrorism. Do you think that The London Underground staff would be huffy if you reported an unattended bag/package, as we've been encouraged to do since the 70s, esp after 7/7, or a group of shifty indivs with back packs?

>
>And if you did get off, and then you heard that the original flight landed without incident at destination with the creepy folks aboard, would you just say "Ooops. My bad."?

Oh wouldn't *I* have egg on my face! Beats blood and brains though.