An abusive passenger who forced a plane to turn around on an airport runway has been fined £3,055.
Jason Harris, 56, had to be escorted off the British Airways flight and went on to assault two police officers at the departures gate of Aberdeen International Airport.
The dad-of-two’s unruly actions caused a 70-minute delay to the flight – for which the airline was fined £7,000, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The offshore worker was initially banned from stepping foot in the terminal but that has now been revoked.
Forced U-turn on runway
The initial disturbance on the BA1307 flight from Aberdeen to London Heathrow, on January 5 last year, saw Harris refuse to sit down during takeoff and then shout “don’t f****** tell me what to do” when a steward asked him to belt up.
Fiscal depute David Rogers said: “At this time the steward alerted the captain who, out of concern for the safety of the aircraft and its passengers, decided to return to the airport stand. Airport control was notified, who in return contacted airport police.”
When the plane returned to Gate 5 of the Dyce terminal, two police officers boarded and asked Harris to leave – but he was “aggressive and argumentative” and refused.
“He loudly shouted that he was autistic, suffered from Asperger’s and that his father had recently passed away,” Mr Roger added.
“After negotiations, he agreed to stand and leave the plane however as he made his way he stopped in front of an officer, who tried to guide him forward, only to be told ‘don’t f****** touch me’.”
Delay cost airline £7,000
He was led to Gate 5 where he continued to shout and scream before trying to barge past officers into the main lounge. He tried to headbutt one officer and, after a struggle during which he threw himself to the ground, he kicked another in the leg.
British Airways was fined £100 for every minute the flight was delayed – totalling £7,000.
The court heard that Harris was on the autistic spectrum, had been diagnosed with Asperger’s and had been prescribed diazepam while offshore upon hearing of his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis.
The rig supervisor claimed he had sat in the wrong seat and that’s what sparked the incident.
Defence agent Chris Maitland added: “The main factors here are circumstances regarding your family, intoxication at the time and mental health difficulties.
“He does not have a significant record and there was been nothing since this incident. He has taken heed of the circumstances that led to him acting in this way to try to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“The report recommends an alternative to custody through unpaid work and Mr Harris is aware that if the court imposes a fine it’s likely to be a significant one.”
‘You caused alarm to the passengers’
Sheriff William Summers previously warned the charges were so serious that a custodial sentence must be considered.
However, after reading background reports into Harris he found an alternative was available.
“Your behaviour will have inevitably caused alarm to the passengers on the flight and on top of that they suffered significant delays and inconvenience,” he said.
“You cost the operator a £7,000 fine.
“The only difference between offending on this occasion and that in the past is that on this occasion you did it on an aeroplane.”
The sheriff added that he had to take into account the Crown’s acceptance of a not guilty plea to a charge of “endangering aircraft safety”, the most serious charge Harris originally faced, and the fact he hadn’t served jail time before.
“I am satisfied now I can dispose of this matter by way of a financial penalty but it has to be a meaningful penalty,” Sheriff Summers added.
He fined Harris, of Bolney Road, Cowfold, West Sussex, a total of £3,055.
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