A British mother has been sentenced after she consumed a significant amount of alcohol on an international flight and then assaulted cabin crew members. The incident occurred during a nine-hour TUI Airways flight from the United Kingdom to Cuba in August 2022.
Details of the Incident
Manchester Crown Court heard that 36-year-old Zoe Alexander, from Essex, drank two-thirds of a bottle of brandy in an attempt to sleep during the flight. Instead of calming her, the alcohol led to aggressive and violent behavior, as reported by the U.K. Mirror.
Prosecutor Blaise Morris stated that Alexander was seen “swaying from one aisle to another” and called a female flight attendant a derogatory term after being denied entry to premium seating areas. She was talking loudly, slurring her words, and behaving overly familiar with passengers and crew. Her conduct escalated, frightening a passenger who pressed the assistance button out of concern for her children's safety.
Alexander yelled profanities while banging on the entertainment screen and attempted to light a cigarette. When crew members brought a restraining kit, they discovered an empty brandy bottle behind her seat.
Assault on Crew
During the restraint process, Alexander punched a staff member in the stomach and pulled off his tie. She then punched and bit crew member Gerard Taylor's hand as he applied handcuffs. She also verbally abused passenger Graham Murphy, who tried to help restrain her, reportedly saying, “I hope bad things happen to your children. I hope they die,” in front of his kids.
The disruptive passenger was restrained for the remainder of the flight and handed over to authorities upon arrival in Cuba. In victim impact statements, Murphy described the event as “truly traumatic,” while crew members called it “the most frightening experience.”
Legal Outcome
Alexander's lawyer, Eleanor Gleeson, argued that her client suffered from mental health issues and that alcohol contributed to her behavior. Alexander initially denied charges of being drunk on a plane and three counts of assault by beating but changed her plea to guilty on the first day of trial.
Judge Paul Mason sentenced Alexander to five months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and banned her from leaving the U.K. for a year. She must also attend 20 days of rehab, undergo a 90-day alcohol monitoring requirement, and pay $100 compensation to each victim.
