Businessman jailed for drunken rant on BA flight

[n2doc]

A US businessman who drunkenly abused staff on a British Airways flight to London has been jailed for three months.

Timothy Bradley, 32, a mortgage consultant, of Phoenix, Arizona, had pleaded guilty to common assault and being drunk on an aircraft.

The incident took place on 20 August on a Phoenix to London flight.

Isleworth Crown Court heard Bradley swore at staff and was abusive after he was refused more alcohol.

The businessman had been drinking beers and bourbon cocktails with friends before boarding the flight and had continued to drink once aboard.

more

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15032159

[jwirr]

1. Made me think of the "Ugly American".

[malaise]

2. Decades ago a BWIA flight returned to Kennedy Airport

to ditch a drunken pop singer Bobby Darren. True story!

[Skittles]

3. prime example of jail being used for the wrong people

he should be fined, banned from flying for a year and get some treatment for his alcohol problem

[jwirr]

4. If they banned him from flying they would have been stuck with him. nt

[Skittles]

9. good

[MedicalAdmin]

12. Nope.

Stuff him in a shippIng container on a slow boat with a chemical toilet, 6 months of twinkles and a few barrels of water.

Voila. Problem solved.

[customerserviceguy]

5. Of course, I cannot excuse the assault

but it's a crime to be "drunk on an aircraft"? Are we all theoretically expected to be prepared to take over for the cockpit crew at any moment, should they succumb from food poisoning and/or heart attacks?

I flew first class once, and my flight attendant didn't seem too aware of that law.

[Major Nikon]

6. It's a crime pretty much everywhere to be drunk in public

I assume that since the ramifications could be quite higher for being drunk on an aircraft, there is a separate law that addresses that particular issue.

[customerserviceguy]

7. Calls to mind Ron White's line

"I was drunk in private, they THREW me into public!" I didn't think that could happen on an aircraft.

[Major Nikon]

10. Reminds me of a parrot joke

http://www.joke-around.com/jokes/animal_joke_2150.htm

[customerserviceguy]

13. Now that is a hoot! n/t

[Nye Bevan]

8. When I have a little too much, I become very mellow and relaxed and eventually fall asleep.

The problem is with the people who become belligerent and aggressive. Like this guy.

[Ilsa]

11. I suspect that if he'd just fallen asleep in his seat, there would not have

been an arrest. It's the rude, abusive behavior that follows the drunkeness that reaps the charge.

[customerserviceguy]

14. So, why are the charges different

for being an inebrated asshole, than they are for just being an asshole?