Air Rager Gets 12 Months
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Air Rager Gets 12 Months
From today's Telegraph:
Air rage passenger jailed
By Nigel Bunyan
(Filed: 13/10/2001)
A DRUNKEN airline passenger who became so violent that he had to be held down by five people was jailed for 12 months yesterday.
Kevin Sibley, 35, who had drunk a litre bottle of vodka, spat at other holidaymakers as his Britannia Airlines flight travelled between Manchester and Mexico.
At the height of the disturbance he bit an off-duty policeman, saying: "I'll take you on one by one."
The pilot became so worried that he decided to divert to Maine in the United States at a cost to his airline of £80,000.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, yesterday, Sibley pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of passengers and being drunk on an aircraft.
Passing sentence, Judge Adrian Smith told Sibley, from Bournemouth: "This behaviour would be unacceptable in a pub or club but the difference is people can leave and get
away but you had a trapped audience for your outrageous and violent behaviour."
By Nigel Bunyan
(Filed: 13/10/2001)
A DRUNKEN airline passenger who became so violent that he had to be held down by five people was jailed for 12 months yesterday.
Kevin Sibley, 35, who had drunk a litre bottle of vodka, spat at other holidaymakers as his Britannia Airlines flight travelled between Manchester and Mexico.
At the height of the disturbance he bit an off-duty policeman, saying: "I'll take you on one by one."
The pilot became so worried that he decided to divert to Maine in the United States at a cost to his airline of £80,000.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, yesterday, Sibley pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of passengers and being drunk on an aircraft.
Passing sentence, Judge Adrian Smith told Sibley, from Bournemouth: "This behaviour would be unacceptable in a pub or club but the difference is people can leave and get
away but you had a trapped audience for your outrageous and violent behaviour."
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What is all this about "Air Rage" and "Road Rage" anyway? Is this a disease or is it just an excuse for people who are too weak to control their temper?
What next? "Cinema Rage" against people who rattle their popcorn? "Court Rage" against judges who pass custodial sentence? "Web Rage" against people who post items we don't agree with? All just some trendy excuse for bad beahviour, IMHO.
What next? "Cinema Rage" against people who rattle their popcorn? "Court Rage" against judges who pass custodial sentence? "Web Rage" against people who post items we don't agree with? All just some trendy excuse for bad beahviour, IMHO.
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I hope Her Majesty's court also made him pay the airline for the cost of the unscheduled landing, increased flight time, fuel, servicing, landing fees, meals, etc. AND the inconvenience to other passengers. I hope the other passengers sue him for "pain and suffering." The problem is, worthless drunks like that seldom having anything worth taking away from them . . . . except their freedom. I hope this guys enjoys being somebody's "woman" for 12 months in jail.
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Betcha he's a smoker! Anybody want to bet that if the hosties had taken this bloke to the back of the plane and offered him a fag or two and a few soothing words that this would never have happened. Tons of money saved all round and he would have got off at destination shame-faced and feeling like the prat he obviously is.
IMHO Anti-smoking rules on aeroplanes are causing more problems than they ever solved. But, hey, I'm not politically correct, so have a go at me, why don'tcha?
IMHO Anti-smoking rules on aeroplanes are causing more problems than they ever solved. But, hey, I'm not politically correct, so have a go at me, why don'tcha?
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As a non-prof. pilot or aircrew, can I ask others here how people like this get let on in the first place?
Not a criticism, just curious. I thought that the captain and other members of the crew could refuse boarding in such circumstances.
Is it simply a rule that is not applied very often to save bad press or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
As an adjunct - any views on the sale of alcohol on flights? (Hope I'm not opening a can of worms here!)
[ 14 October 2001: Message edited by: Navig8r ]
Not a criticism, just curious. I thought that the captain and other members of the crew could refuse boarding in such circumstances.
Is it simply a rule that is not applied very often to save bad press or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
As an adjunct - any views on the sale of alcohol on flights? (Hope I'm not opening a can of worms here!)
[ 14 October 2001: Message edited by: Navig8r ]
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Vmike, I suspect you're right. No-one can condone this sort of thuggish behaviour (products of the state education "child centred" system?), but you can bet your life that quite a few potential air-rage situations are exacerbated, rather than dealt with, by today's cabin crew (products of the state education "child centred" system?)
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Navig8r
You are correct to think the crew can refuse boarding...however...
The ground staff at the boarding gate are expected to spot drunk pax and stop them before they get near the aircraft.
The problem is, the handling agents are under pressure to board the passengers as quickly as possible, and don't have the time to inspect every passenger for signs of drunkenness. Handling agents are also, as a rule, understaffed, which adds to the pressure on the gate staff who are primarily concerned with getting the aircraft out on schedule.
Good news that this thug got locked up, but sadly this problem is becoming more common.
You are correct to think the crew can refuse boarding...however...
The ground staff at the boarding gate are expected to spot drunk pax and stop them before they get near the aircraft.
The problem is, the handling agents are under pressure to board the passengers as quickly as possible, and don't have the time to inspect every passenger for signs of drunkenness. Handling agents are also, as a rule, understaffed, which adds to the pressure on the gate staff who are primarily concerned with getting the aircraft out on schedule.
Good news that this thug got locked up, but sadly this problem is becoming more common.
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Yes, Mr Sibley had downed a litre of Vodka but surely even the world's most hardened drinkers would have been sleeping like a baby after drinking such a quantity. There is no mention of the drugs which were found in his socks. As a member of cabin crew we can moderate and observe how much a passenger drinks (-2 litres of Vodka were taken from him) but we can't monitor what he happens to "take" in the privacy of the toilets.
