Drunk couple face jail over rant at cabin crew

A DRUNK couple nearly forced a flight to be diverted after they swore at crew and passengers in a row over a broken TV screen.

Antony Grant, 27, and Carola Conti, 26, banged chairs, spilled drinks and argued with stewards on the flight from Kuala Lumpur to London, becoming abusive when asked to be quiet.

Once Malaysian Airlines flight Mh02 landed at heathrow the pair were arrested, but told police they were not drunk and accused a staff member of starting the row by swearing at Conti.

they both face jail after pleading guilty to entering an aircraft while drunk and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner. Yesterday, prosecutor Zara Khan told Uxbridge magistrates how the couple were arrested as they disembarked from the flight of almost 14 hours. ‘It became clear the two passengers had been causing a significant amount of trouble throughout the flight,’ she added. ‘ Witnesses saw both drinking, being very loud and abusive to fellow passengers. they continued drinking, swearing, banging chairs, spilling drinks and disturbing passengers around them.

‘they caused such disruption people tried to move away from them. Crew told both to be quiet but received abuse ... the pilot said that in 37 years of flying it was the first time he had given consideration to diverting the aircraft.’

the couple’s lawyer, Meena Shinh, said: ‘they accept they consumed a couple of drinks but they say they weren’t drunk ... Miss Conti’s screen was not working and she was trying to get it to work. this would have caused passengers in front to feel like someone was knocking the chair ... for some reason one member of staff began being rude and swore at her.’

Former NHS worker Conti, from hove, east Sussex, and musician Grant, from Sevenoaks, Kent, were returning from travelling in Cambodia.

they are due to be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on May 9.