Venezuelan surgeon pays big for MIA bomb joke (airlines, Colombia, airport)

[JD59]

Dr. Manuel Alvarado to pay nearly $90K to airline, police dept

A 60-year-old Venezuelan neurosurgeon who allegedly claimed that he had explosives in his luggage as he was getting ready to board an Avianca flight to Colombia has agreed to pay $89,172.53 for the "joke" that shut down two concourses at Miami International Airport two months ago.

Dr. Manuel Alvarado's attorney, Brian Bieber, said his client was sleep deprived the day of the incident and that he suffered from a momentary lapse of reason.

Venezuelan surgeon pays big for MIA bomb joke | News - Home

[annerk]

What an idiot. He's lucky they didn't toss him in jail for a good long time. I'm glad the airlines are being made whole, but what about the people who's travel plans were disrupted? I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I'd trust a surgeon who displayed such ridiculously poor judgement.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by annerk

What an idiot. He's lucky they didn't toss him in jail for a good long time. I'm glad the airlines are being made whole, but what about the people who's travel plans were disrupted? I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I'd trust a surgeon who displayed such ridiculously poor judgement.

I don't think I'd trust a surgeon from Venezuela period.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by njkate

I don't think I'd trust a surgeon from Venezuela period.

Cosmetic surgeon maybe maybe- they do huge volume plastic surgery down there (Venezuela is supposed to have some of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery of any country) and generally skill in a procedure tracks really strongly with how often you do it. Other specialties not so much.