Woman Arrested for “Stealing” Airline Seat

In Miami, trying to fit twins in one airline seat is a bad idea

With the price of airline tickets these days, everyone is trying to get over, but that doesn’t make you a criminal.

Unless, you are Jenny Cisneros.

Cisneros, 40, was trying to save a few bucks on her flight from Miami back to her home state of Oregon by paying for one seat for her twins. It worked for her on the Continental Airlines flight down to Miami, but this time, police escorted the mother off the plane and into a squad car. She was charged Thursday with grand theft and sits in the women’s detention center to face the charges. A Miami-Dade judge set a $5,000 bond and Cisneros is expected to get out of jail at some point tonight.

Police said Cisneros “defrauded” Continental Airlines of $491.20. A one-way ticket from Miami International Airport to Portland today costs about $377 (it's only $119 on the weekend). Continental Airlines officials said they did not plan on pressing charges against Cisneros and disputes the woman ever made it on the plane.

The official said the trouble started when Cisneros was caught with a duplicated boarding pass for the two 3-year-old girls.

Still, wouldn’t it have been easier just to require Cisneros to pay for the extra fare? Police reports don’t indicate any signs of Cisneros resisting arrest or committing any other crime, aside from trying to get a two for the price of one discount. .

If a hefty person gets on a plane knowing they need two seats, but only paying one fare, does that mean they are stealing and will be tossed in the slammer?

One thing is for certain, this will be a family trip Cisneros won’t soon forget.

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