Edgars heir in US air row

EDGARS heir Clifford Press has been paid by a major US airline for emotional distress after a cabin crew member found his white South African accent offensive

“” and had him arrested.

Press, 59 — heir to the R100-million estate of his late father, Sydney — claimed R650 000 from United Airlines for “wrongful imprisonment ”.

He won an out-of-court settlement in the US this week and was paid an undisclosed amount.

Court documents before the Pennsylvania Middle District Court reveal a bizarre chain of events after an argument over a salad wrapper.

Press, a multimillionaire and partner at the New York investment firm of Oliver Press Partners, boarded a flight from Denver, Colorado, to New York in 2011. Soon after takeoff he asked flight attendant Sharon Brando where to find a rubbish bin.

Court papers filed by Press said that the hostess, after hearing him speak, recognised him as a “white South African ” and became “aggressive and domineering ”. She told him to show some

“respect ”. Press dumped the salad packing on the galley floor and stormed back to his seat. A senior flight attendant, Gina Algano, demanded that he return to the galley and dispose of the wrapper, or face arrest on arrival in New York.

Press refused and Algano retrieved the wrapper and threw it under his seat.

The flight attendants convinced the captain to radio a security alert to police.

United told the court that Press disobeyed lawful orders from the crew, but noted that he had alleged there was “discrimination based on his race and national origin ”. The airline did not respond to the claim. Press was hauled off the flight, “surrounded by port authority officers ” and questioned for 30 minutes. Police then released him without charge.

However, he faced complaints by the Federal Aviation Administration for allegedly violating regulations triggered when a level one security threat is

“” declared and for failing to remain in his seat while the “fasten seat belt ” sign was illuminated.

The airline also sent an e-mail to passengers on the flight describing Press as a security risk.

Press has been involved in previous lawsuits, including:

A bitter fight over his father ’ s estate. As chairman of the family trust, he fended off a claim from his brother Gregory to help with medical costs for his wife, who had suffered a stroke in 1999; and

Having moved to the wealthy neighbourhood of Buck Hill Falls in Pennsylvania in the US, Press was sued in 2000 by a company representing his neighbours for keeping bantam chickens and roosters in his yard. He told the Sunday Times this week: “We grew up with chickens, so I didn ’ t see why my children couldn ’ t also enjoy them over here. ” He declined to comment on the airline settlement because certain details were still outstanding.