Drunk fined for trying to open door in aeroplane
ADRUNKEN Polish fork lift truck driver with a fear of flying caused panic after downing a litre of vodka and reaching for the door as the plane was about to land in Birmingham.
Andrzej Plawski, 38, had boarded a Whizz Air flight in Warsaw on June 5 this year. Sally Cairns, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: “About an hour into the flight the cabin manager noticed the defendant walking around.
“He was unsteady on his feet and he smelt strongly of alcohol.
“At that point the cabin manager warned the defendant about his conduct and asked him where he was getting his alcohol from, as drinks had not been served to him.
“He did not reply to that question but became increasingly animated.
“He was verbally and physically disruptive towards other passengers sat by him and was waving his arms about.”
Miss Cairns said due to safety concerns the defendant, who had been by an emergency exit, was moved to a different seat.
However, when the plane started its descent and the seat belt signs came on, Plawski got up and started to get his bag out of the over head locker.
“He then proceeded to stand by the doorway of the plane despite requests from cabin staff to take his seat,” Miss Cairns said. She added that eventually the cabin manager had to physically move the defendant back to his seat and put the seat belt on him because he seemed incapable of doing it himself.
On landing, the police were called and arrested Plawski who was shouting. He also punched the window of a police car.
When interviewed, he admitted being drunk and “playing the cabin crew up”.
Nicholas Tatlow, defending, said: “He has a long standing fear of flying and on this occasion, and in the past, dealt with that fear by drinking to excess before the flight.”
He said in the past he had normally fallen asleep and that was his intention when he drank almost a full bottle of vodka at Warsaw airport and then polished the rest off when he was in the aircraft’s lavatories.
Mr Tatlow said this time Plawski had been particularly stressed after going home to Poland to visit his mother who had cancer and that he had been ashamed of his behaviour.
Plawski, of Dalkieth Street, Walsall, who had previously admitted being drunk on an aircraft and using threatening words and behaviour, was fined £300 and ordered to pay £340 costs by Recorder J Steel QC who said he had caused “anxiety and distress” to other passengers and that by going to the door he had caused alarm to the crew.