In a related story … A few years ago, a flight from the Caribbean heading to Toronto, Canada needed to make an unscheduled stop in Buffalo. Upon arrival the US officials ran through the passenger manifesto and discovered someone on board who was wanted on a tax-evasion charge.

Mr. X was deplaned to face charges. Surprise! While his Canadian wife was forced to stay on board and continue to Toronto. I can imagine the look on this guy’s face when the Captain made that PA announcement that the flight was diverting to a US destination.

Now, in an extension of this, could US sky marshalls track wanted criminals who are booked on over-flights? Then arrange to be on the same aircraft and make the arrest as soon as it enters US airspace? The mind boggles.

Whenever I was on over seas flights (to the UK, Australia, Singapore) I’ve always heard the f/a’s speak over the PA saying that drink service has been terminated because we’re entering so-and-so’s airspace and their laws prohibit serving alcohol or something.

I’m being extremely vague here as my memory about the particular incidents is fuzzy.

Does an airliner flying from London to Beijing stop serving alcohol and ask women to cover their faces when they’re flying over Saudi Arabia, for example? (Or does Saudi law have a special exemption for foreign airline passengers?) Could someone with a nude picture of a 19-year-old model stored on his/her laptop be charged with possession of child pornography if the airliner overflies a country where the age of consent is 21? What if you’re having a casual conversation about abortion with the 17-year-old in the seat beside you, and your airliner overflies a U.S. state where it’s illegal to counsel minors about abortion?

I was always under the impression that the laws of the country who’s airspace you are over apply to you. However, in international airspace, the laws of the country from which the aircraft is registered in applies.

Similar to how marine laws are applied.