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Southwest Pilot and Escapee Arrests Make Odd Hawaii Travel News

Traveling today seems to have more weird twists and this is no exception. They leave us wondering and may you too. Read how these Hawaii travel news anomalies include Southwest Airlines, a savvy cab driver and Hawaiian Airlines. That’s a travel story.

While we couldn’t be more excited about the start of Southwest Airlines Hawaii flights beginning soon, we’re glad that today’s incident at Southwest didn’t happen en route to Hawaii. Then, how does a very dangerous escapee manages to jump on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to the mainland to avoid arrest? That brings up added questions.

Southwest pilot arrested at TSA with gun in carry-on.

A 51-year-old Southwest Airlines first officer was detained this morning at a St. Louis airport TSA checkpoint. The pilot was to board a Southwest flight bound for Las Vegas.

In his carry-on bag, TSA found a loaded 9mm handgun, for which the pilot did not have a permit. He was arrested for unlawful use of a weapon. As you know, firearms are to be unloaded and put into checked luggage, with prior notification given to the airline.

“We are aware of a situation involving a Southwest Pilot at St. Louis Airport. We are currently working alongside the appropriate authorities to gather more information. We have no further information to share at this time.” — Southwest Airlines.

Hawaii escapee/murderer flees on Hawaiian Airlines and is arrested in Stockton.

As a result of a sharp cab driver, a Hawaii State Hospital escapee was captured in Stockton late last night.

Randall Saito was acquitted by reason of insanity of a murder in 1979 when he randomly shot and stabbed a random victim at Ala Moana shopping mall. He has been a state hospital inmate since 1981 and was diagnosed with sexual sadism and necrophilia. Saito slipped out of the hospital unnoticed on Sunday and boarded first a charter flight to Maui, then a Hawaiian Airlines flight to San Jose. This apparently all happened before authorities realized and reported that Saito had gone missing. Luckily there was no incident and no one on the Hawaiian Airlines flight was hurt.

This one brings up more interesting questions. How does a 30+ year inmate come up with identification and the means to purchase an expensive last minute airline ticket from Hawaii to California? Likely others were involved video from his final cab ride showed him rummaging through a backpack with a cell phone and charger. He certainly did not have those when he left the hospital.

According to the State:

“The Hawaii Department of Health recognizes the public’s need and right to know more information, but we ask for their patience as this is an ongoing criminal investigation…. The Hawaii State Hospital is a 202-bed facility and is the only state psychiatric hospital to provide inpatient psychiatric services for court-ordered individuals within a safe and therapeutic environment.”

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