A drunken holidaymaker caused fear and anxiety in the skies by shouting and swearing during a flight from Spain to Newcastle.
Tipsy April Wilson was upset when she boarded the Jet2 flight in Alicante along with 187 other passengers and cabin crew. There were repeated attempts to calm the 58-year-old woman, who continued to shout and swear, including at two cabin crew.
Wilson, of Front Street, Houghton-le-Spring, was given a suspended prison sentence during a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.
The court heard that when Wilson boarded the plane leaving Spain for Newcastle Airport at 11.25am on November 19 last year, cabin crew noticed she looked upset and asked if she was OK. The hearing was told that her upset and anger was mainly directed at her partner.
During the flight, a number of passengers complained about her behaviour, saying she was drunk and swearing constantly, with one member of staff hearing her say “f***” repeatedly. She was asked to stop but did not. As the flight attendant walked away, a sullen Wilson said: “F*** her” and when told again to stop cursing, replied: “What the hell are you going to do, you stupid cow.”
The flight manager then approached her to try to calm her down, and Wilson mentioned someone who appeared to be her partner, who she said was taunting her. Wilson looked upset and said, “You don’t get it, I need a hug” and tried to grab the flight manager to pet her.
The manager made her a hot drink, but Wilson continued swearing, and then as the plane landed in Newcastle, she unbuckled her seat belt and tried to get out of her seat.
The court heard several passengers complained about her and two seated near her were moved to other seats at the start of the flight. After getting off the plane at Newcastle Airport, Wilson was arrested.
She said she drank vodka the night before and two small bottles of wine during the flight. Mark Atkins, prosecuting, said: “She said her partner taunted her about her looks and intelligence and she shouted and swore and shouted and swore in return when the cabin crew told her to calm down. She looked remorseful.”
The first flight attendant Wilson swore in said in a victim impact statement that she was “shaken” by what happened. She added: “I was concerned that her behavior was escalating and I felt scared of what was going to happen next. There were 188 passengers on board of all ages and they were exposed to her behaviour. Behavior like this on planes is becoming more and more frequent .”
The flight manager added: “This is becoming a huge problem because of people using alcohol and drugs.” She said such behavior at 35,000ft in an enclosed space was intimidating, adding: “I thought I was going to have a seizure. I was worried about the other passengers, especially those around her. She was obviously very drunk.”
Wilson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to being drunk on the plane and was sentenced to six months suspended for 18 months.
Judge Gavin Doig told her: “You were heard swearing repeatedly, shouting abuse. When the cabin crew asked you to stop, you became abusive towards members of the cabin crew. You tried to attack the person in front of you, who appeared to be your partner , who you were primarily angry with at the time, your actions also caused fear and anger to the cabin crew and other passengers, not only were you gratuitously offensive.
The court heard that Wilson is now receiving help for his alcohol problems and Katie Spence, defending, said: “It was completely out of character for her. Unfortunately the people who felt her anger were flight attendants who did not deserve to be it treated.” like them, she is appalled by her behavior and has learned her lesson.”