02 May 2024 , 08:33
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A passenger has been left with a £16,000 ($20k) bill after being so unruly the plane had to be diverted.
Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald, a Brit, has been ordered to hand over $20,638 in restitution to United Airlines after becoming "physically aggressive" on the Newark-bound plane. The pilot made the decision to land in Maine instead.
During the March 1 incident MacDonald, 30, threatened to “mess up the plane" and has remained in custody since. After pleading guilty to one count of interference with flight crew members, he was sentenced by a judge to restitution, time served and also to be sent back to the UK.
Read more: Plane from Manchester Airport stormed by police after 'unruly passenger' forces emergency diversion
MacDonald getting carried off the flight (KolHaolam/Twitter)
Other passengers filmed the incident unfolding (KolHaolam/Twitter)According to the FBI affidavit, MacDonald was arguing loudly with his girlfriend on United Flight 883 from London’s Heathrow Airport despite repeated requests to quiet down. His anger turned on the flight attendants and the head flight attendant had to stand between the “verbally and physically aggressive” passenger and another attendant trying to diffuse the situation.
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MacDonald was accused of asking the head attendant if he would like to “have a problem” and threatened to “mess up the plane” while putting his hands on the attendant's shoulders and pushing him back. Crew members and a passenger managed to wrestle MacDonald into flex cuffs but were unable to get him to a seat as he continued his rampage.
In response to the disturbance, the flight crew initiated a rapid descent and issued a 7700 squawk code, signalling to air traffic control that the situation onboard had become critical. The decision was then made to land the plane as soon as possible and remove him. This led controllers to prepare for the changed course and coordinate with emergency services on the ground to land in Bangor, Maine.
The plane touched down in Bangor, Maine, where MacDonald and his partner were removed and met by law enforcement. After they were removed, the plane, with 160 passengers and 10 crew members on board, then flew to its original destination in New Jersey.
Video on social media shows MacDonald being escorted off the plane and, with his hands and ankles zip-tied, carried to a waiting police car. The other passengers watched on and cheered. Especially when drink is involved, passengers sometimes can lose control on board. A ruckus unfolded on a flight to Turkey in April. The SunExpress flight, which had been heading for Dalaman in Turkey, was forced to make an unplanned diversion after a passenger became disruptive mid-flight.
The flight took off from Airport at just before 7.30pm but had to stop almost 700 miles short of its destination at Belgrade in Serbia, at around 10.30pm so cops could deal with the rowdy flyer. Video shot by a passenger shows the man shouting and swearing from his seat on the packed flight. It appears that he is also holding a bottle in one hand while abusing a passenger in a nearby seat. Local police stormed the plane to arrest the man and remove him from the flight.