US student in Court over BA flight air rage
01.07.08
A 21-year-old Drexel University student was arrested at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport after 'going berserk' aboard a British Airways flight from Heathrow. According to US press reports he was lewd, spat on flight attendants and broke a jump seat.
Taylor Kircher is reported to have drank an entire bottle of vodka he spirited onto Flight 115 from Heathrow last Thursday. About two hours into the flight a woman passenger reported that he was masturbating through his clothing, according to a complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court. Federal Air Marshal Basilios Argyros said in the complaint: ‘He stated that he was unable to stop.'
Mr Kircher was issued a written warning letter by the captain, but continued acting abusively to other passengers and pushed a flight attendant who asked him to move his seat, authorities said. Members of the crew restrained him with plastic handcuffs. He spat in the faces of two crew members and broke the jump seat.
The complaint adds: ‘At one point he told a flight crew member that he was going to 'blow this plane up if you don't untie my ... feet,‘ causing most of the passengers to flee the section around him.
He was released on $75,000 bail and agreed to enter an alcohol treatment program. His defence lawyer said: ‘The kid has a drinking problem, and we're trying to get him the help he needs.'
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit