Drunk airline passenger fined €1,545 for in-flight disturbance

An airline passenger has been slapped with a €1,545 fine for causing a drunken disturbance during a flight.

Briton Dean Robert, 31, was arraigned before magistrate Doreen Clarke by Inspector Silvio Magro and charged with recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft, interfering with the crewmembers’ duties, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards the crew, being drunk in an aircraft, disturbing the peace and disobeying police orders.

No details about the disturbance emerged during the man’s arraignment this morning, as legal counsel on both sides discussed the matter in the magistrate’s private chambers.

When they emerged a guilty plea was entered on Robert’s behalf.

The Court condemned him to pay a fine of €1,545. “That is almost the maximum fine,” said the magistrate. “Any such incident is unacceptable, but even more so when in the confined space of an aircraft.” 

Lawyer Chris Chircop was defence counsel.