The former JetBlue flight attendant who made headlines with his notorious exit from a parked plane has avoided jail time by entering a plea deal.
Steven Slater, who became something of a folk hero to disgruntled employees everywhere, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree attempted criminal mischief.
Instead of jail time, he is required to undergo at least one year of counseling and substance-abuse treatment.
He must also pay JetBlue $10,000 for the cost of replacing the emergency chute that he opened and slid down after an altercation with a passenger.
Slater must also check in regularly with the court with updates on his progress. If he completes treatment to the judge's satisfaction, the court will drop the felony charge and he will receive a year's probation on a misdemeanor charge.
Slater's dramatic and unusual departure made him a cult hero to some. He was a topic on TV shows, on the front pages of newspapers and many cheered him for standing up to the inhospitable world of airline travel and for quitting his job so spectacularly.
His fame has waned, but it's not gone: In a homage to Slater this Halloween, several retailers are selling their own versions of the disgruntled airline employee or the angry steward.
"It's a blue steward shirt with a light blue tie and it comes with a Band-Aid for your forehead," Todd Kenig, chairman of Ricky's NYC, told the AP last week.
The former flight attendant accepts responsibility for his actions that day in August, which included swearing into the PA system and grabbing a beer before activating the emergency chute.
By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com.
Related links: MSNBC, USA Today, The New York Times
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