Briton released pending trial over flight disruption

A British man who faces charges of disrupting an easyJet flight from London to Cyprus has been released with no restrictive conditions pending his trial in Greece.

The 22-year-old supermarket employee told an examining magistrate in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki Monday that he was sorry about his behavior that led to the flight being diverted to Greece so he could be arrested.

The man said anxiety at the prospect of meeting his mother for the first time ever in Cyprus had led him to drink excessively.

The easyJet flight to Paphos was diverted to Thessaloniki late Friday after the passenger allegedly exhibited unruly behavior and fought with fellow passengers and the crew. Police said several empty bottles of alcoholic drinks were found on his seat.

The British man faces several charges, of which one, endangering transportation and passenger and crew safety, is a felony.

The date of the trial has not been set yet, and in the meantime the man is free to leave Greece. [AP]