Drunk Scots TUI passenger jailed after causing chaos on flight to Turkey

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A drunken Scottish air passenger who spilled booze on a child and caused a flight to be grounded has been locked up. James Rae wreaked havoc on a TUI plane headed from Glasgow to Antalya on May 24 when he called a staff member a "gay boy" and shouted abuse at others on board.His behaviour became so bad that the decision was made to divert the flight to Newcastle, which meant passengers faced more than a five hour delay to eventually reach their destination in Turkey.

Newcastle Crown Court heard holidaymakers waiting to get the same plane home from Antalya were also delayed by 17 hours and the cost to the flight operator was "several hundred thousands pounds".Rae, who had downed gin and Jagermeister, was arrested as soon as it landed and he had to be carried away because he was so drunk.

The 29-year-old plant operator, of West Bridge Street, Falkirk, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft.Judge Stephen Earl has today jailed Rae for eight months and told him: "The one thing that stands out in this case is deterrence, not only deterring you but to ensure other people understand if you get on an aircraft and you are drunk, this is the sort of sentence you can expect."Judge Earl said passengers and staff on board the "metal cylinder in the sky" were put at a risk which is almost incalculable.

The judge added that some may find it "odd" that alcohol is sold in the airport and on flights and added: "It relies on people to be grown up about it, not sit with 15 pints for four people but that's what some people do."Of course, lots of people don't do that, lots of people treat it as a responsible, grown up situation.