Jail for jumbo jet air rage

Michael Jones has been out of work since the incident, the court heard

A Swansea businessman has been jailed for six weeks after a drunken air rage incident aboard a jumbo jet.

Michael Jones, 47, drank six brandies, lit a cigarette and swore at flight crew, a court heard.

He also scuffled with fellow passengers aboard a 747 from Bangkok, Thailand, last New Year's Eve.

At Isleworth Crown Court in London Jones admitted threatening and abusive behaviour and drunkenness on an aircraft.

The court heard that eventually he had to be handcuffed and strapped into his seat.

Jones, a former car dealer, was a platinum business class card-holder with Thai Airlines and had travelled regularly to Bangkok for business and pleasure and in the far east, the court heard.

He was on a flight to Heathrow after a business trip when the air rage incident happened, said David Smith, prosecuting.

"Mr Jones was treated to some complimentary drinks on the flight and when the flight attendant was asked to serve him, he requested three triple brandies.

"There came a point when flight crew took the view he was drunk and should not drink for another hour at least.

"This did not make him happy at all," Mr Smith added.

Jones then began swearing and got out of his seat and walked unsteadily to the back of the plane.

He got more and more abusive and eventually lit a cigarette at the back of the plane, the court heard.

Jones apologised to police after he was arrested at Heathrow

This was taken from him and he went back to his seat. Six other passengers then approached him to try to get him to calm down and a scuffle broke out, Mr Smith said.

"The captain issued the authority for Mr Jones to be restrained and he was handcuffed.

"He continued to struggle, was placed in his chair and strapped across the chest and legs to try to prevent him from misbehaving although he continued to protest," Mr Smith added.

When then plane touched down at Heathrow he was arrested by police, telling officers: "I'm sorry, I'm not usually like that."

'Painkillers'

Jones, from Swansea Road, Swansea, admitted two offences on an aircraft: drunkenness and threatening and abusive behaviour.

Jailing him for six weeks, Judge Sam Katkhuda said: "This sort of threatening behaviour whilst drunk by passengers in aircraft is becoming far too prevalent.

"In this court we have to deal with increasing numbers of cases from Heathrow Airport of airline travellers who behave in this manner towards other passengers having got themselves the worse for alcohol.

"The safety of the aircraft itself and other passengers may have been put in jeopardy, a relatively small incident on an aircraft in flight might have catastrophic consequences that might not always be foreseen."

Huw Rees-Davies, defending, said Jones had been in a car accident shortly before the flight, had taken painkillers and "dosed himself up" before getting on the plane and going on to drink.

He said within the past month Jones had been arrested for drink-driving and had a problem with alcohol.

Before the incident Jones had never been unemployed but was now out of work.

"This has had a catastrophic effect on his mental health," he added.