The passenger behaved aggressively during the flight. He screamed, groped several women and repeatedly threatened the senior purser. According to her, he stated, among other things: “I will kill you.”
He also kicked in her direction, although he did not hit her. He allegedly tapped her breasts several times. Other passengers felt unsafe because of the situation.
Because the man could not calm down, he was restrained by crew members and passengers with a five-point harness and tie wraps. Even after that he continued to behave violently. The senior purser is the head of the cabin crew and is responsible for the safety and management of the personnel on board. She was unable to perform her regular duties, did not take any breaks and guarded the man for the rest of the flight.
Upon arrival at Schiphol, the Royal Military Police was ready to take the man off board. Later a liter bottle of vodka was found. The man stated that he had had a drink, but denied that he had hit or threatened anyone.
The captain also filed a report and stated that flight safety had been compromised. The court agreed. “If part of the crew has to focus on restraining an aggressive passenger, the safety of the flight is jeopardized,” the judge ruled.
The man, a truck driver from the United States, was given the same sentence as demanded by the Public Prosecution Service: two months in prison.