British woman (61) receives suspended sentence for air rage incident

A Thessaloniki court has sentenced a British woman, whose aggressive drunken behavior caused the plane she was flying on make an emergency landing in the city on Sunday, to 17 months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.

The three-member criminal court found her guilty of obstructing aviation traffic, disturbing the order on the aircraft and violating the captain’s orders.

In her defense, the 61-year-old defendant apologized for her behavior, which she attributed to taking medication. She also said that she had consumed alcohol boarding the plane, which was flying from Glasgow in Scotland to the Turkish city of Antalya.

In statements read to the court, the pilot and a stewardess said that the accused attacked the crew with shouts and punches, and even attempted to bite them, while she inflicted physical injuries on herself as she hit her face against a seat.

Despite the crew’s efforts to calm her down, which included giving her oxygen, she continued her violent behavior.

After the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Thessaloniki airport, the British woman (who was accompanied by her husband, who was present in court) was arrested by police.

The flight then continued to its destination. [AMNA]