A Jet2 flight was forced to make a 1,500-mile diversion after a drunk passenger acted aggressively and spat on a fellow traveller.
German police officers dragged 27-year-old Courtney Maich, from Dundee, off the flight after she carried out a “disgraceful and disgusting” attack.
After the flight departed Edinburgh and headed for Dalaman in Turkey, Maich and her partner Alannah O’Neill, 28, started drinking alcohol which they had brought with them on board.
The Dundee duo were told on numerous occasions by flight attendants to stop swearing and shouting.
Maich and her partner Alannah O’Neill, 28, started drinking booze they had brought with them on board
|GETTY
After ignoring the pleas from the cabin crew and continuing their unruly behaviour, Maich received a written warning from the captain.
The couple's antics deteriorated to the point the captain was left with no choice but to divert to Cologne, 1,500 miles from Dalaman, where the 27-year-old was hauled off by German authorities, Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told.
The prosecutor said: “German police then boarded the flight and in the process of removing Maich off the plane she spat at one of the passengers who was with her husband and seven-year-old son.
“The spit landed on her body, and she also shouted ‘f*** you all’ towards the passengers.”
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the row erupted when Maich had been told to move by cabin crew
|WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the row erupted when Maich had been told to move by cabin crew after sitting in the wrong seat.
The 27-year-old was flying with a larger group when drunken disputes began to break out shortly after taking off.
Footage of Maich's dramatic escort off the plane went viral on social media.
Maich and O’Neill pleaded guilty to a host of offences last month.
FLIGHT MAYHEM - READ THE LATEST:
The captain was left no choice but to divert to Cologne Airport, where the 27-year-old was hauled off by German authorities (file photo)
| GETTYSheriff Peter Anderson told the court that the duo's behaviour caused “catastrophic consequences” for their fellow passengers and "ruined the start of a holiday for a large number of people”.
He added: “All of this because you couldn’t control your drink.
“This was utterly disgraceful conduct and cannot be allowed to happen again.”
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that the Jet2 flight was grounded in Germany for over three hours before getting the all clear to depart for its final destination.
The airline was forced to fork out over £27,000 to cover accommodation costs for passengers and staff after the incident.
Jet2 has served civil action against the Dundee couple in a bid to recover the losses.
Maich and O’Neill were sentenced to a 12-month supervision order, had a curfew imposed upon them between 8pm and 7am, and must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff also ordered Maich to pay £200 in compensation for the "disgusting" assault.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter