Drunk traveller threatens to explode plane

Marie Nammour/Senior Reporter / 16 March 2015

Dubai – A 68-year-old Bahraini has been charged with causing disturbance on board a Dubai-bound flight of a local budget airline and compromising its safety.

The defendant was reportedly drunk when he claimed he had explosives and assaulted a stewardess. He was charged in the Court of First Instance on Sunday with assault on a plane and compromising its safety, assaulting an on-duty public employee and behaving inappropriately with a female, and possessing and consuming alcohol without a licence.

The Italian legal affairs consultant of the airline said the plane left Bahrain for Dubai around 6pm on January 21. “Since departure, the accused created trouble by screaming at crew members and using abusive language.”

The crew tried to calm him down by telling him that he was breaching the aviation law, but the accused did not pay heed.

His demand of changing his seat was met with by the crew. “But he was denied more alcohol as he was by then behaving awkwardly. He pointed to his jacket and showed what looked like a gun.”

He allegedly assaulted an air-hostess as she tried to stop him from entering the business class section. He then allegedly gestured to an air-hostess to have sex with him in the washroom.

“When he got out of the washroom, he said loudly that he had explosives and a gun and that he would blow the plane up. The pilot asked the crew to keep the situation under control until they reached Dubai. There, they informed the authorities at the airport.”

A Moroccan air hostess, 24, said the defendant caused panic among the other passengers when he claimed he had a gun and explosives and threatened to blow the plane up.

She said his bag was filled with alcoholic drinks.

The case has been adjourned to March 31. –mary@khaleejtimes.com

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