Disruptive drunk passenger on flight to Tenerife jailed for eight months
A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to eight months in prison following a disruptive and dangerous incident aboard an EasyJet flight from Glasgow to Tenerife. Brian Watt, from Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, was found guilty of multiple charges, including being drunk on an aircraft, criminal damage, disobeying lawful commands from the pilot, and using threatening language towards the crew.
The incident occurred on April 20th during EasyJet flight EZY3113, when his behaviour escalated to a level that forced the plane to make an unscheduled landing at Bristol Airport shortly after taking off.
Watt was reported to have smoked in the aircraft's toilet, urinated in front of fellow passengers, and caused damage to the plane's facilities. Additionally, he was aggressive and refused to comply with instructions from the cabin crew.
Due to his actions, the flight was diverted to Bristol, where police officers were waiting on the tarmac to take him into custody. The incident caused significant disruption, leading to an overnight delay for the return flight to Glasgow, as the crew had reached their maximum allowable flying hours.
Watt was sentenced at North Somerset Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to the charges against him. Sergeant Rachael Hodges of the local police commented on the case, stating>
"Brian Watt's threatening and criminal behaviour was disgraceful and forced the flight to Tenerife to be diverted. He caused significant disruption to passengers onboard, as well as the airline and crew. He now has a criminal record and a significant prison sentence as a result, and it hopefully serves as a reminder to people flying away this summer of the need to behave when travelling."
The incident highlights the serious consequences of disruptive behaviour on flights and serves as a cautionary tale for travellers. Airlines are fed up with unnecessary disruptions caused, usually, by passengers drinking, and are calling for tougher punishment.
