An incident aboard a Jet2 flight has once again drawn attention to onboard safety and passenger behaviour. Lewis Howarth, 36, was removed from a flight at Manchester Airport bound for Turkey after being heavily intoxicated and displaying aggressive behaviour. The situation caused significant tension for both the cabin crew and fellow passengers.
Details of the Incident
Howarth reportedly boarded the plane after drinking half a bottle of whisky before the flight. It wasn’t long before he began hurling abuse at crew members and disregarding their instructions. During the safety briefing, he repeatedly stood up and, when asked to fasten his seatbelt, referred to a flight attendant as “stupid.”
The cabin crew alerted the police, reporting that Howarth was “heavily intoxicated” and swearing at other passengers. While he initially appeared compliant when officers boarded the plane, he resisted when attempts were made to escort him off the aircraft.
Police Intervention and Passenger Reactions
Prosecutor Saul Brody stated that Howarth attempted to attack officers, prompting them to pin him to the ground and handcuff him. He was seen thrashing his head toward passengers and crew during the struggle. As he was removed from the plane, fellow passengers reportedly applauded.
One officer remarked, “There were a lot of children present—you created complete chaos.” However, Howarth continued to hurl insults and threats at the officers.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Already having a prior criminal record for similar offences, Howarth pleaded guilty to boarding a flight while intoxicated, assaulting an emergency worker, and common assault. His lawyer argued that his actions were triggered by a combination of a fear of flying and criticism from his fiancée. Howarth expressed regret and issued an apology.
Magistrate Geoffrey Wells sentenced Howarth to 14 weeks in prison, stating:
“This behaviour was appalling. There is no excuse for boarding a plane inebriated. Your children witnessed your actions what sort of example is that? Completely disgraceful. ‘Peer pressure?’ What nonsense.”
Despite Howarth being a successful plumber and co-owner of a construction firm in Bolton, the court emphasised that this did not excuse his actions.
Impact on Society and Airline Response
This incident underscores the potential dangers of intoxicated passenger behaviour to flight safety. Airlines are aiming to tighten pre-flight checks and promote greater awareness of passenger responsibility.
The key takeaway from this event: any disruptive behaviour on a flight can have serious legal and societal repercussions.
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