"We certainly think he had a legitimate complaint, but you just can't take matters into your own hands," he said.

Although Averell escaped punishment, Boyd warned that most people who create disturbances at airports are not as lucky.

In general, Boyd said, airlines do not want to show leniency towards those charged with crimes at airports, for fear that others will fell that they could perform similar acts with little consequence.

"The airline and the authorities are sensitive about [the case] and fairly so," Boyd said. "It's very important to them that people understand they can't feel free to take matters in their own hands."

Boyd said that two other people faced charges similar to Averell's for their actions at Logan over Thanksgiving weekend. In these cases, the airlines have refused to show leniency.

Boyd said that Averell escaped punishment because of his non-violent behavior at the time of the incident.

"BJ was not belligerent to anyone; he were not threatening anyone," Boyd said. "[The other] incidents were more serious because they involved actual threats or destructive behavior."

Still, Boyd warned that people should not expect to be as lucky as Averell.