A man who got so drunk on a Jet2 flight that he vomited on himself and neighbouring seats has been jailed for three months.
Police were called to Birmingham Airport on 19 October last year to deal with Ali Ozdemir, 49, after flight crew reported that he was slumped in his seat, covered in vomit.
He was travelling on a Jet2 service from Turkey, where he travelled regularly.
Although it was noted that Mr Ozdemir did not become aggressive due to his intoxication, the judge in the case was strict, insisting that “people who are drunk on an aircraft present a serious risk to anyone on the aircraft”.
Speaking at Birmingham Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Wallace said: “The defendant had vomited on himself and on aircraft seats on the aeroplane. He was removed from the aircraft. He was observed to have been slumped on his seat, smelt of vomit and liquor and had red eyes.”
The defence argued that Mr Ozdemir had not become aggressive, and had rested his head against the cabin walls and gone to sleep.
His defence lawyer noted that he was under stress as a result of getting divorced, had no previous convictions and was “remorseful from the outset”.
In passing his sentence, Judge Simon Drew QC said: “On October 19 last year it is perfectly clear from witness statements that you were very drunk, even when you got on the plane, but how drunk it is impossible for me to know.”
"It was noticeable to the passengers on the plane and very quickly became noticeable to the stewards and stewardesses and cabin crew who saw that you were slumped on your seat and that you had vomited not only on yourself but the adjacent seats.
“You were on a lengthy flight from Turkey back to this country. When asked for your passport you were simply unable to produce that from your bag which revealed the state that you were in.
“You did not offer any aggression to anybody on the plane nor is it the case that you were rude to them. The fact is that people who are drunk on an aircraft present a serious risk to anyone on the aircraft.
“There is always the danger that because of your drunken state that your behaviour will become out of control and endanger the lives of those on the aircraft because of it who can not get away.”
Last week a Bradford woman was fined £5,000 and banned for life from flying Jet2 after screaming at staff and slapping fellow passengers on a Jet2 flight to Turkey.
The flight was forced to divert to Vienna due to the woman’s aggressive behaviour.
