British Airways Drunk Passenger Faces Jail for Assault on Boeing 777 Flight

A married businessman is facing a likely jail sentence. Philip Gould, 64, admitted to multiple charges following a frightening outburst. The incident occurred on a British Airways (BA) flight last year. Gould was traveling home from the Bahamas to London Heathrow (LHR).

Mid-Air Incident Details

The court heard Gould consumed vodka and wine on the flight. Approximately three hours into the journey, he appeared heavily intoxicated. After being refused more alcohol, his drunk passenger endangers aircraft behavior escalated. Gould propositioned a male flight attendant. He then lunged toward the cockpit door. Cabin crew members quickly positioned themselves to protect the flight deck.

Assault and Threats

During the altercation, Gould pushed one crew member. This caused the staff member to stumble back into a passenger. Gould then screamed threats at the British Airways unruly passenger crew. He shouted, "I'll kill you. There are not enough people on the plane to restrain me." He also assaulted his wife and verbally abused a female flight attendant. The businessman then put his arms around a female flight attendant. While doing this, he kissed a male flight attendant on the cheek. He also reportedly nibbled on the crew member’s ear. The prosecutor described the escalating behavior as a serious safety issue.

Legal and Industry Context

The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-200 twinjet. Gould eventually fell asleep and was arrested upon arrival at London Heathrow. He pleaded guilty to four charges. These charges include being drunk in an aircraft, sexual assault on a male, two counts of assault by beating, and recklessly acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. The judge warned that a prison sentence is a likely possibility. Sentencing is scheduled for next month.

This case highlights the growing global issue of unruly passenger incidents.

• The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported an increase in incidents in 2023.
• There was one reported incident for every 480 flights in 2023.
• This rate is up from one incident per 568 flights in 2022.
• Reports of verbal and physically abusive behaviors also increased.

Regulatory Response

Incidents like this one put immense stress on cabin crew sexual assault victims and airline operations. Crew members are trained to de-escalate these situations. However, the aviation industry maintains a zero-tolerance policy. IATA continues to urge global states to ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14). This protocol aims to close jurisdictional gaps. Closing these gaps ensures that unruly passenger prosecution is possible regardless of the aircraft's registration state. This is crucial for maintaining aviation safety regulations worldwide.

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