A man traveling on a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow was restrained using handcuffs after causing disruption by shouting, swearing, and moving around the cabin, a court was informed. The incident involving Simon Jones, 51, occurred on May 23 during the flight. According to the prosecution, a fellow passenger described Jones as becoming agitated and exhibiting disruptive behavior, including clapping loudly and speaking in a raised voice during safety checks before takeoff.
Cabin crew members approached Jones regarding his behavior, but he responded by demanding a drink in an aggressive manner. Throughout the flight, he continued to disrupt other passengers by frequently getting up, shouting, and using profanities. Despite requests from nearby passengers to stop swearing and consider others, Jones remained uncooperative.
At one point, Jones threatened a passenger near him, which led to the request for a seat change to avoid further confrontation. The captain then intervened by prohibiting Jones from consuming more alcohol due to his escalating behavior. However, Jones persisted in causing disturbances and even engaged in a verbal altercation with a crew member, resulting in his eventual restraint with handcuffs.
During the incident, Jones made threatening remarks towards the crew and had to be monitored every 15 minutes until the flight landed, impacting the crew’s ability to perform their duties efficiently. In his defense, Jones’s lawyer stated that he suffers from bipolar disorder and had not been consistent with his medication at the time of the incident. The defense also mentioned that Jones now adheres to a new medication regimen and is employed in a bar, highlighting that such behavior was uncharacteristic for him.
Following the court proceedings, Jones pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to his disruptive conduct on the flight. Judge Kathryn Verghis sentenced him to a 12-month community order, requiring him to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Additionally, Jones was banned from international travel for six months and ordered to pay various fines and costs. The judge emphasized the severity of Jones’s actions, labeling his behavior towards other passengers as entirely inappropriate and unacceptable.