A drunk British tourist who screamed ‘you are all going to f***ing die’ and was restrained by fellow passengers after she tried to open two of the plane’s doors at more than 30,000ft has been jailed for two years today.
Two RAF fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane into Stansted after Chloe Haines, 26, of High Wycombe, forced the pilot to turn back just 45 minutes into a flight to Turkey in June last year.
She was sentenced to two years in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court today after pleading guilty to endangering the safety of the plane and to assaulting cabin crew member Charley Coombe.
Miss Haines was accused of causing ‘absolute chaos in the sky’ after she tried to open one of the emergency exits and then the main door at more than 30,000ft after downing gin from a bottle.
In her drunken rampage she also sent one flight attendant ‘flying across the plane’, abusing people on board who made a citizen’s arrest by pinning her down in the aisle as she screamed: ‘I’m going to f**king kill everyone, you are all going to f**king die’.’
Two RAF Typhoon fighters then arrived at either side of the aircraft and guided it back into Stansted, with the jets creating a sonic boom that could be heard for across the east of England.
She was arrested on the Tarmac and Jet2 sent the Costa Express worker a bill for £85,000 because of her ‘extremely disruptive behaviour’ – Haines told police that she ‘blacked out and didn’t really remember what happened’ after mixing alcohol with medication.
Chloe Haines, 26, arrives at Chelmsford Crown Court where she was handed two years in jail for causing ”absolute chaos’ on a plane that saw the RAF scrambled as her Turkey-bound plane was diverted back to Stansted
Haines was restrained by both crew and passengers on the flight in June (pictured) as she told them they were ‘all going to f***ing die’
Haines was arrested by Essex Police upon landing at London Stansted Airport on June 22 (pictured) on suspicion of assault, criminal damage and endangering an aircraft. She pleaded guilty in November and was jailed today
They said she ‘must face up to the consequences of her actions’ by pushing for a prosecution, while also handing her a lifetime ban from their planes.
Chloe Haines, 25, pictured, has been hit with an £85,000 bill by airline Jet2 over an air rage incident on a flight from Stansted to Turkey
Haines, dressed in a white shirt and black top, with her blonde hair in a ponytail, sobbed through much of the hearing.
Judge Charles Gratwicke, sentencing Haines on Wednesday afternoon, said: ‘Those that are trapped in the confined space of the aircraft will inevitably be distressed, frightened and petrified by the actions of those who in a drunken state endanger their lives.
‘For some it will be their worst nightmare come true.’
The drama began whilst the plane was on the runaway at Stansted Airport after a 90 minute delay where she hurled abuse at her fellow passengers telling them to ‘f**k off’.
Prosecutor Michael Crimp told the court Haines appeared ‘intoxicated’ and had been swigging from a 200ml bottle of gin stashed in an overhead locker.
The court heard Haines was ‘unsteady on her feet, seemed to be intoxicated and was slurring her words’ after the plane took off.
Whilst in the air she then barged past cabin crew and one of them shouted ‘she’s going to open the door’ – with staff and passengers wrestling her to the floor.
Haines, 26, sobbed outside court in November where she admitted assault by beating and endangering an aircraft
Mr Crimp said: ‘One of the passengers Steven Brown later told police that he really feared she would open the door and said ‘I honestly thought I was going to die’.
‘Cabin staff and with some passengers were able to restrain Miss Haines to the floor, she struggled punching out at people saying things like ‘I want to die, I’m going to kill you all’
‘Three of the cabin crew pulled her away and she continued to shout in a similar way.
‘She continued whilst being pinned down by cabin crew and passengers to be aggressive but her behaviour was also erratic ranging from shouting to singing and crying.’
During the fracas she scratched cabin crew member Charley Coombe as she was brought under control and was charged with assault.
The pilot was made aware of the fracas and when he saw the matter escalating he told air traffic control there was ‘a disruptive passenger incident’.
Mr Crimp added: ‘He took the view for the safety of the passengers, crew and aircraft it was necessary to return to Stansted Airport.’
The barrister told the court that it was ‘impossible’ to open the door mid-flight but passengers were ‘not aware of that’ and Haines’ actions stopped cabin crew from dealing with other emergencies.
The RAF sent two Typhoon aircraft (file picture) to intercept the flight, causing sonic booms
Two RAF Typhoon fighters were scrambled in error to intercept the Airbus 321 bound for Turkey, to guide it back to the Essex airport, where Haines was arrested.
Oliver Saxby QC, for Haines, said the troubled young woman, who has a personality disorder, was now engaged in an Alcoholics Anonymous program and has not taken a drink since the incident.
He also said his client was convicted of drink driving 17 days before the airplane drama describing the incident as ‘tragic cry for help’ had left her ‘deeply embarrassed’.
Passing sentence Judge Gratwicke said: ‘Even the most minor incident could have such catastrophic unforeseen consequences.
‘Those who recklessly or negligently endanger an aircraft’s safety whether in drink or not must in any judgement receive appropriate punishment.
‘Those that are trapped in the confined space of an aircraft will inevitably be distressed frightened or petrified by the actions of those who in a drunken state endangering their lives.
‘For some it could be their worst nightmare come true.’
Haines was sentenced for two years for endangering the plane and hit with a three-month concurrent sentence for assault.
The court did not impose any compensation order.
The Typhoon fighters caused sonic booms as they flew to meet the plane and escort it back to Stansted in June.
The sonic booms triggered panic in Essex, with police receiving multiple calls.
Speaking in July, Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: ‘As a family friendly airline, we take an absolutely zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour.’