Source : Perth Now news
A disruptive British Airways passenger has been dragged off a plane bound for Las Vegas in handcuffs after an outburst forced the pilot to ground the flight.
The incident unfolded onboard a flight preparing to depart Heathrow Airport on Thursday, causing the planned take-off to descend into chaos, the New York Post reports.
In wild footage of the ordeal that has been shared online by fellow passenger and UK-based DJ, Mohamed Amine Bouguenna, the unruly man can be seen repeatedly leaving his seat and approaching other passengers.
A female flight attendant intervened and repeatedly ordered the passenger to “stay seated.”
But the unruly man, who police allege was intoxicated at the time, appeared to ignore the instructions and began flailing his arms and swearing profanities as several crew members approached him.
During the prolonged struggle, the man appeared to resist the airline staff’s several attempts to convince him to return to his seat.
As the situation escalated, the female flight attendant raised her voice and warned him that he would be restrained if he failed to comply with the crew’s orders.
“If I have to tell you again, I will be restraining you, sir, if you do not stay seated,” she said.
A group of crew members then surrounded the man in an effort to diffuse the violent stand-off.
The pilot was forced to return the aircraft to the terminal so the matter could be handed over to police, with video showing the man being escorted by officers in handcuffs.
Police later identified the passenger as a 31-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of being drunk onboard an aircarft.
He remains in custody as police continue their ongoing investigation.
In a statement, as cited by the New York Post, a British Airways spokesperson said the airline does not tolerate “disruptive or abusive” behaviour.
“When these incidents occur, the appropriate action will always be taken,” the statement read.
