Fine and ban for drunken passenger

AN AIRPORT alcohol review is planned after a passenger whose drunken behaviour forced a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport to be diverted was banned by Jet2.com and fined £12,000.

Joshua Strickland, of Lucas Avenue, York, drank his own alcohol “illicitly” and threatened a family on board the plane, before verbally abusing a member of cabin crew on July 13, the airline said.

The plane he was travelling on, which was heading to Larnaca in Cyprus from Leeds Bradford, was diverted to Manchester Airport shortly after take off.

Strickland, 21, was due to stand trial at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after denying a charge of endangering an aircraft or person in an aircraft.

But he pleaded guilty to a lesser alternative charge of being drunk on an aircraft before the trial and will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on August 25.

Strickland could face jail after the sentencing was committed to crown court, where judges can hand out harsher punishments.

Phil Ward, managing director of Jet2.com, said: “Joshua Strickland’s violent outburst was absolutely unacceptable and caused a lot of distress plus significant delays for our customers.

“He now has to face up to the consequences of his actions and we will vigorously pursue to recover the costs incurred by this unnecessary divert.”

More than 440 people have been arrested on suspicion of being drunk on an aircraft in the last two years.

Aviation Minister Lord Ahmad has pledged to look at the way alcohol is sold at airports in a bid to make air travel an “attractive sector for all”. But the Department for Transport said there are no specific new plans for airports.