Ex Postman banned from flying for five years after air rage

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postman banned from flying for five years after air rage incident

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trave ... ident.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A postman who forced a flight to Spain to turn back after threatening to kill all its passengers while in a drunken rage has been banned from flying for five years.

Last Updated: 12:34PM BST 02 May 2009

Robert Russell, who booked the flight to Malaga as a treat after being made redundant from his Royal Mail job, even tried to open the emergency door at 30,000 feet before being restrained by crew and passengers.

The 48-year-old had drunk pints of lager and shots of vodka in Gatwick Airport's departure lounge as he waited for the flight on October 15 last year - become steadily intoxicated.

Brighton Crown Court heard on Friday how Russell stank of alcohol when he boarded the plane and initially had to be ordered to stay in his seat after abusing an air stewardess.

The court heard how he had tried to fondle a blonde female member of the air crew on the Monarch fight, shouting at her: "Oi blondie. Come and sit here so I can stroke you."

The father-of-two, who had just split with his wife, then started hurling abuse and swearing at the stewardess as she tried to calm him down and then tried to stoke her arm.

And when a concerned passenger intervened, Russell threatened to kill him and 'all the passengers on board' before walking to the emergency exit and tugging at the door just 15 minutes after take-off.

Russell, of Crawley, West Sussex, was then grappled by two crew members and two passengers as he yanked at the door at 30,000ft.

The court heard how terrified passengers were then told to put their seatbelts back on as the pilot decided to turn back the packed holiday jet back to Gatwick - costing £26,000 - where police were waiting to arrest Russell.

Christopher Rodwell, defending, said his client was "genuinely remorseful" for what he had done.

He said: "He is truly, genuinely remorseful for what he did and what he put the people on the plane through."

Judge Richard Hayward described Russell's behaviour as 'bizarre' before banning him from every airport in the UK for five years, handing him a £4,643 fine and a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours community service.

Russell's sentence came on a day it was announced that air rage attacks have quadrupled in the past four years.

Last year police dealt with 58 air rage incidents on board planes leaving Gatwick last year - up from 50 in 2007.

The incidents included many alcohol-related scraps and other crimes such as assault and threatening and abusive behaviour.

A spokesman for Civil Aviation Authority, which oversees safety, said: "Greater awareness of the issue of disruptive passengers, combined with zero-tolerance policies in dealing with them, has seen an improvement in reporting of incidents."

[piranha]

Postman banned from flying for five years after air rage incident
A postman who forced a flight to Spain to turn back after threatening to kill all its passengers while in a drunken rage has been banned from flying for five years.

Last Updated: 11:28AM BST 04 May 2009 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trave ... ident.html

Robert Russell, who booked the flight to Malaga as a treat after being made redundant from his Royal Mail job, even tried to open the emergency door at 30,000 feet before being restrained by crew and passengers.

The 48-year-old had drunk pints of lager and shots of vodka in Gatwick Airport's departure lounge as he waited for the flight on October 15 last year - become steadily intoxicated.

The court heard how he had tried to fondle a blonde female member of the air crew on the Monarch fight, shouting at her: "Oi blondie. Come and sit here so I can stroke you."

The father-of-two, who had just split with his wife, then started hurling abuse and swearing at the stewardess as she tried to calm him down and then tried to stoke her arm.

And when a concerned passenger intervened, Russell threatened to kill him and 'all the passengers on board' before walking to the emergency exit and tugging at the door just 15 minutes after take-off.

Russell, of Crawley, West Sussex, was then grappled by two crew members and two passengers as he yanked at the door at 30,000ft.

The court heard how terrified passengers were then told to put their seatbelts back on as the pilot decided to turn back the packed holiday jet back to Gatwick - costing £26,000 - where police were waiting to arrest Russell.

Christopher Rodwell, defending, said his client was "genuinely remorseful" for what he had done.

He said: "He is truly, genuinely remorseful for what he did and what he put the people on the plane through."

Judge Richard Hayward described Russell's behaviour as 'bizarre' before banning him from every airport in the UK for five years, handing him a £4,643 fine and a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours community service.

Russell's sentence came on a day it was announced that air rage attacks have quadrupled in the past four years.

Last year police dealt with 58 air rage incidents on board planes leaving Gatwick last year - up from 50 in 2007.

The incidents included many alcohol-related scraps and other crimes such as assault and threatening and abusive behaviour.

A spokesman for Civil Aviation Authority, which oversees safety, said: "Greater awareness of the issue of disruptive passengers, combined with zero-tolerance policies in dealing with them, has seen an improvement in reporting of incidents."

[BELIAL]

Be lucky to get 10 incidents this year,nothing is coming out of Gatwick, the skies are empty