Mangione was then airlifted by helicopter to Manhattan, wearing an orange jumpsuit, accompanied by city and federal agents armed with long guns, and even Mayor Adams – a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. The decision to transport Mangione via plane was made by the NYPD, considering factors such as distance, weather conditions, and overall circumstances. A spokesperson for the NYPD stated, “After considering distance, weather, and the totality of the circumstances, it was determined that flying was the most efficient and safest method to transport the prisoner.” The NYPD acquired a modified Cessna C208B Grand Caravan through a Preparedness Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2017.
The upgraded Cessna departed with Mangione at approximately 10:49 a.m. and touched down at the Central Islip airport by 12:08 p.m., as indicated by records. However, the following year, five NYPD pilots faced disciplinary action for flying a route in the shape of a giant penis out of frustration towards their superior, as reported by The Post. The inappropriate flight pattern was discovered by other officers using the department’s flight-tracking software.
In another instance in 2018, controversy arose when the same plane was used to transport then-Mayor Bill de Blasio between the city and his Canadian vacation for the renaming of a Bronx street in memory of slain NYPD Detective Miosotis Familia. Mangione, still in his orange jumpsuit, was escorted by city and federal agents armed with long guns during this event. Police Commissioner James O’Neill admitted to utilizing the plane “three or four times” that year due to his busy schedule, clarifying that the flights were not for counterterrorism purposes.
A former police official, Michael Osgood, criticized the use of the expensive plane, pointing out that a car journey would have taken approximately four hours. Osgood, who had previously filed a lawsuit against the department and former commissioners for allegedly forcing him out in 2018, expressed his disapproval, stating, “It’s a show. ‘Luigi is a punk. You put him in the back of a car and drive him back.'”
