Air-rage woman jailed over spat that caused RAF to scramble jets
Cafe worker caused panic when she drunkenly tried to open door at 30,000ft and assaulted cabin crew
A DRUNK passenger who tried to open a plane door at 30,000ft, prompting the RAF to scramble fighter jets, has been jailed for two and a half years.
Passengers and cabin crew fought to restrain Chloe Haines, when she flew into a rage on board a flight to Turkey from Stansted, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.
Haines, a Costa Coffee worker, later said she “blacked out and didn’t really remember what happened” after mixing alcohol with medication, prosecutor Michael Crimp said.
The 26-year-old defendant, of High Wycombe, Bucks, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to endangering the safety of an aircraft and assaulting Charley Coombe, a member of the cabin crew, on the Jet2 flight to Dalaman on June 22 last year.
Ms Coombe suffered scratches as she tried to prevent Haines from opening the plane door.
Sentencing yesterday, Judge Charles Gratwicke said: “Those that are trapped in the confined space of the aircraft will inevitably be distressed, frightened and petrified by the actions of those who in a drunken state endanger their lives.
“For some it will be their worst nightmare come true.”
Haines, dressed in a white shirt and black top, with her hair in a ponytail, sobbed through much of the hearing.
Jet2 calculated that the incident cost it £86,000, the court heard.
Mr Crimp said Haines had “lunged” at a door handle on the plane, which had 206 people on board.
One passenger later told police he “really feared she would open the door”, Mr Crimp said, adding: “He said ‘I honestly thought I was going to die’.”
Haines yelled: “I want to die!” and “I’m going to kill you all!” as cabin crew and passengers restrained her.
A bottle of gin was later found with around a quarter of its contents gone. Haines admitted she had also been drinking in the airport, Mr Crimp said.
It was impossible to open the exit door mid-flight, but many passengers did not know this. Mr Crimp said the RAF jets were sent “in error”, adding: “Had there not been a disruption on the flight deck [the decision to launch the jets] would not have occurred.”
Speaking after the hearing, an RAF spokesman said if there was any doubt over the nature of an incident, quickreaction jets would be launched, with “questions asked later”. Haines had been convicted of a drink-driving offence and three counts of assaulting an emergency worker in April last year. Oliver Saxby QC, mitigating, said Haines had been diagnosed with mental ill health, had not drunk alcohol since the incident and was attending Alcoholics Anonymous.
“She’s appalled, she’s ashamed … she’s disgusted with herself,” he added. Haines wept as she was led from court to the cells. businesses not be overburdened with their rates bills soaring following a revaluation of the amount due.
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