Sabina Sultanova was travelling to the UAE for her birthday when she claims she was pulled back on to a plane as she tried to disembark
A city worker is suing British Airways after claiming she was assaulted by the cabin crew before being held by police in Dubai for 12 hours without being told why.
Sabina Sultanova, 34, was travelling to the UAE for her birthday when she alleges she was pulled back on to a plane as she tried to disembark, leaving her bruised with a cut on her neck.
The financial services worker says she passed out before waking up in an airport holding room full of police officers, but was never told why and was not charged.
The airline, which contests the claims, says Miss Sultanova ran along the plane’s aisle with her trousers down, was abusive and tried to bite crew members.
Miss Sultanova, who lives in central London, says she was unable to swallow for several days after her jacket was pulled around her neck with such force that it restricted her breathing.
She is suing BA, claiming that she has been left terrified to fly.
She said: ‘My question, even now, is, what happened? Why did they do that? That isn’t the way you should handle people, that’s not the way to do it. They almost killed me.’
The ordeal happened after a seven-hour flight to Dubai in March last year when Miss Sultanova was between two passengers who kept falling asleep on her.
The alleged altercation left city worker Miss Sultanova with a bruised arm as well as a cut on her neck
After asking to move into a free seat, Miss Sultanova made her way to business class.
She said: ‘I went out to stretch my legs and I don’t know how it happened but I just fell asleep in business class.
‘I was aggressively woken up by the cabin crew member. I apologised to her and explained I was desperate for some sleep.’
On landing, she texted a friend at 8.33am to say she had arrived. She said: ‘I was walking towards the exit and I was about to get off the plane. As I was coming off, [the air hostess] says, “Can you step aside please?” So I stepped aside. I was waiting and I ask, “What am I waiting for?” She said, “Wait, just wait”.’
Around 20 minutes later, Miss Sultanova, a British citizen originally from Azerbaijan, alleges she found herself pulled back as she tried to get off the plane.
She said: ‘I’m just walking through the doors, the staircase is going down and as I pushed my way out [the air hostess] screamed saying, “She’s leaving”. The same minute, all I can feel is that I am choking, someone is pulling me backwards and as they are pulling and pulling me – that minute I lost consciousness.’
The ordeal happened after a seven-hour flight to Dubai in March last year when Miss Sultanova was between two passengers who kept falling asleep on her. Right: Miss Sultanova holds up her torn coat
BA has said Miss Sultanova was restrained for her safety and staff were waiting for police, who had been called to take her away.
She said she was taken to the airport police station.
She said: ‘I woke up there, they, the police officers were laughing, joking. I could not get answers when I was saying, “What’s going on? What’s happening?”’
She was released only at 9pm and was told she had been banned from the airline for life.
Aviation law specialist Keith Barrett, of Fieldfisher, representing Miss Sultanova, said: ‘Not only did the BA crew assault Ms Sultanova, they then allowed a lone woman to be transported unconscious and then be detained by Dubai police.’
British Airways said its crew acted responsibly as they ‘looked after an unwell customer’.