Passenger taken off jet after vodka binge
OFFICERS CALLED TO REMOVE MAN WHO DOWNED HALF A BOTTLE OF BOOZE
A HOLIDAYMAKER who downed half a bottle of vodka on board a flight was so drunk police had to remove him from the plane.
Bradley Underwood had bought the one-litre bottle from the airport in Malaga for his son – but while on the short flight to Manchester he drank half of it.
The 58-year-old labourer remained in his own seat on the Jet 2 aircraft on July 28 but crew said he was ‘shouting’ – although he was not aggressive or abusive.
When passengers were leaving the aircraft once it had landed, Underwood was not responding to flight attendants.
Prosecuting at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Kate Gaskell said: “The defendant was sat in his own allocated seat but was not responding to requests from crew members.”
Police were called on board and stated Underwood was slumped in his seat and his speech was ‘slurred.’ They said he was so intoxicated he was ‘struggling to walk.’ He was then arrested. Underwood, of Manchester Road, Audenshaw, pleaded guilty to being drunk on a flight.
Mitigating, Daniel David said: “There was very little disturbance caused by this incident and there was no violence and he has shown full remorse for his actions and has co-operated fully with the police.”
He added he had bought the vodka for his son but decided to have a drink.
Mr David added: “He got on the plane and had a drink himself and then he found he had drank more than expected.” Underwood then fell asleep. He said he was extremely embarrassed.
District Judge Mark Hadfield said: “I accept that when passengers boarded the plane you caused no difficulties for them.
“But something had happened on the plane because the crew had asked for assistance from the police.”
Underwood was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.
Judge Hadfield added that passengers ‘partaking in using their own alcohol on board’ is currently in the public eye.
Arrests for drink-related offences at airports and on flights have risen dramatically.
A total of 387 people suspected of being under the influence were arrested airside between February last year and February this year – up from 255 the previous year.
Ryanair is now calling for a ban on the amount of alcohol passengers can consume before flights to prevent so much chaos in the air.
It also wants to end the sale of alcohol before 10am which would spell the death of the early morning pre-flight pints but potentially lose airport businesses a substantial amount of money.