A lady passenger faces up to two years in prison after she flew into a drunken rage on a flight, misbehaved cabin crew with hitting and kicking and hurling verbal abuse.
The 47 year old lady named Emma Langford, was on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Cape Town on December 6th 2018 when she “chased” and “grabbed” staff, telling a flight attendant, “your arse is massive”, before smashing a tray of plates and glasses, Ealing Magistrates Court heard.
Langford, from Old Basing, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to three charges of assault, criminal damage, being drunk on an aircraft and behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting and rough manner towards cabin crew, as media reported.
The court heard that the incident began to unfold 30 minutes into the journey, when Langford left her seat and demanded cabin crew give her something to drink as she was “thirsty”.
Molda Gribbin, prosecuting, told the court Langford had been given a water and asked to sit down after she “raised her voice and was agitated”.
The cabin manager asked her not to speak to cabin crew in this manner and reported smelling alcohol on her breath.
Though Langford at first returned to her seat, she then went back to face up to the cabin manager, saying she had paid £4,000 for her ticket and asking him whether he could “afford that amount”.
Langford was once again asked to calm down and go back to her seat, but instead of doing this,she chased a member of cabin crew, grabbed her the shoulders and “pushed her into the door.”
Langford also tipped a tray of glasses and plates onto the floor, which gave another flight attendant a small cut and hit the cabin manager many times. She even hit another member of the crew “a number of times”.
“She kicked me in the back of the legs and said ‘your arse is massive’,” claimed one of the flight attendants, whose statement was read out to the court.
“She called me chubby and fat arse. It was massively offensive and hurt my confidence. I felt humiliated in front of the whole cabin.”
An off-duty police officer had to help restrain Langford, and she was removed from the aircraft by the authorities after landing in Cape Town.
Though Langford has been in a rehab programme and undertaken mental health treatment ever since the incident happened, the court declared that Langford’s actions were acute enough to warrant being sentenced at a crown court, where she could be given up to two years in prison.
“The offence took place in a very confined space and the aircraft was airborne,” said Chairman of The Bench Pamela Ullstein. “It could have put other passengers at risk.”
A spokesperson of British Airways said this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and the fitting action will always be taken.
“Our customers and crew should be able to enjoy a peaceful flight, without suffering any form of abuse.”
Langford is on bail until she is sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on 3 January.
Source : The Independent
