British man ordered to stay at US halfway house

Airline Industry Information, August 21, 2002

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A 57-year-old British man accused of interfering with a flight crew has been ordered to stay at a halfway house in the US to face the charge.

The man was arrested during an Air 2000 flight from Manchester, UK to Florida, USA on 16 August 2002 after he refused to stop drinking from two bottles of duty-free whisky purchased before the 8.5 hour flight. The man allegedly threatened to kill a number of passengers and lunged at female flight attendants before seven passengers restrained the man using seat belts.

According to witnesses, the man broke free from his restraints about 20 minutes before the flight was due to land at Orlando-Sanford International Airport, and attacked two female flight attendants.

If convicted of the charge the man will face up to 20 years imprisonment, reported Reuters.

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