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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Damon Wilkinson & Susie Beever

Booziest Brits who couldn't handle their drink on flights - and ruined own holidays

For many Brits heading abroad, an airport pint isn't just something to pass the time - it's a pre-holiday staple.

But what happens when that pint spirals out of control?

Drunk and rowdy passengers are every traveller's worst nightmare, and many have been caught on camera and later named and shamed in the press.

One easyJet customer landed himself in the dock in Manchester this month after describing himself as a 'nine out of 10 drunk' when arrested for grabbing a stewardess by the neck.

The holidaymaker was not the first - and probably won't be the last - to find themselves in hot water after a few too many airport tipples.

The M anchester Evening News has compiled a list of other airline passengers' terrible errors of judgement after knocking back the duty-free alcohol.

Man attacked stewardess when she saw him out of his seat

Colin Smith outside Manchesters Minshull Street Court (Vincent Cole - Manchester Evening News)

Colin Smith was jetting off on a pre-booked 50th birthday trip to Malta with his wife when easyJet cabin crew spotted him standing up during the landing.

Assuming the 51-year-old had to use the loo, the stewardess told him to be careful, only to be met with a vacant stare before being grabbed around the neck with both hands.

Whilst he continued lashing out at her, the stewardess asked his partner if he had any health concerns, to which she replied: "I told him not to drink that whisky."

Officers arrested Smith a week later and quizzed him on his actions, where he admitted to downing three-quarters of a bottle of Famous Grouse whiskey and described himself as 'nine out of 10 drunk'.

Smith, of Hull, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to being drunk on an aircraft and assault in connection with the March 28 incident. He will be sentenced next year.

Mum who had 'two pints' marched off Ryanair flight

Lyndsey Fitzsimmons was arrested for being drunk on her return flight home from Lanzarote (Facebook)

Lyndsey Fitzsimmons had to be escorted off a Ryanair flight by police after passengers complained she was being too loud and 'verbally aggressive'.

The mum became 'irate' after being approached about her behaviour on the flight from Lanzarote to Manchester Airport, a court heard on July 26.

Police were called out by Ryanair staff less than 20 minutes before the flight was due to land, before six officers stormed the plane to arrest Fitzsimmons.

The 39-year-old, who had been on a week away in the Canary Islands, claimed she had consumed two pints of lager and taken two 10mg tablets of diazepam for her anxiety before the flight - but did not drink any alcohol on the plane.

Fitzsimmons became 'verbally aggressive' and a couple sat close to her believed she was behaving 'in an intimidating manner', the court heard, before being asked to sit at the back of the plane.

Fitzsimmons, from Cheshire, initially pleaded not guilty to being drunk on an aircraft at her first appearing at Manchester Magistrates Court on March 2 but later changed her plea to guilty. Judge Recorder Paul Reid QC issued her a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Drunk passenger ‘too excited’ for first holiday in 11 years

Ashley Crutchley, 27, was slapped with a €377 fine for his actions (Manchester Evening News)

Ashley Crutchley became so excited for his trip to Portugal - his first holiday in 11 years - that he ended up getting himself kicked off the plane.

The 27-year-old was waiting to fly to Portugal with a pal in July this year when he became argumentative and abusive with a crew member, before officers were called.

As he went to leave, a crew member handed the officers a bottle of duty free vodka with a third of its contents missing, having been confiscated, Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard.

Crutchley then ‘shunted’ an officer forwards as they disembarked, saying: “Come on then, mate, come on.” He was then escorted off the plane.

Officers went back onto the flight to ask his friend, who had not been disruptive, to leave, and were met with rapturous applause from other holidaymakers. Pleading guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assaulting an emergency worker, Crutchley was fined £320.

Louts kicked off with Easyjet crew

Jason McKiver (Facebook)
Glynn Martin (Facebook)

Two louts abused airline staff who refused to let them on to a plane because they were too drunk.

Glynn Martin and Jason McKiver, had both been drinking spirits in the lounge at Manchester Airport prior to a flight to Tenerife, on October 15 last year. Making their way to board an EasyJet plane, airline staff watched them "stumble down the air bridge" and noted that they could "barely stand up", Bolton Magistrate's Court heard.

After being told that they weren't fit to fly, they insisted that they would just go to sleep in their seat.

When it became apparent that airline staff would not be letting them on, the "situation escalated", Ms Deakin said. Martin got in Ms Grieves' face and shouted: “I know who you are and will remember what you look like.”

Both men pleaded guilty to entering an aircraft when drunk and using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with the intent to cause fear of unlawful violence before their cases were adjourned for sentence in August.

Jet2 passenger vomited on himself and seats around him

Ali Ozdemir (Birmingham Live)

A Jet2 customer was jailed earlier this year after getting so drunk that he vomited on himself and the seats around him.

Ali Ozdemir was removed from the plane travelling from Turkey to Birmingham after crew spotted him slumped in his seat.

Birmingham Crown Court heard he was so intoxicated that was unable to take his passport out of his bag when asked to.

The 49-year-olf former manager of an Italian restaurant in Birmingham, admitted being drunk on an aircraft. He was jailed for three months.

Vet nurse caused mayhem "screaming and swearing at everyone"

Dubbed 'every passenger's worst nightmare', veterinary nurse Katherine Heyes downed a bottle of vodka and caused chaos on a flight from Manchester Airport.

Katherine Heyes from Wigan, was 'screaming and swearing at everyone' - including her own three-year-old child - during the Thomas Cook flight to Turkey.

In July 2020 the then 29-year-old was ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work after admitting entering an aircraft when drunk.

In October this year, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons disciplinary committee ruled that despite Ms Heyes' 'disgraceful conduct' she shouldn't be struck off or suspended.

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