Drunk British passenger who caused flight to return to Calgary must pay $21,000 fuel bill

[left-of-center2012]

The unruly Brit whose antics forced a London-bound WestJet flight to return to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, must pay the airline more than $21,000, a judge ruled Tuesday. Provincial court Judge Brian Stevenson said if the Calgary-based airline wishes to recuperate any further damages, it will have to take David Stephen Young to civil court.

Stevenson said the $21,260.68 restitution order he imposed on Young represents the cost of fuel WestJet lost when it rerouted the Jan. 4 flight back to Calgary.

Young, 44, pleaded guilty last week to charges under the Aeronautics Act and the Criminal Code in connection with his conduct on the flight and upon his arrest at Calgary International Airport.

The U.K. native became unruly shortly after the flight took off, when he got up to use a lavatory while the seat belt signs were still on. A flight attendant told him to return to his seat and, while he did, Young got up again and forced his way into a locked washroom while it was unsafe to do so.

He was also belligerent with flight staff and a passenger, causing them to fear for their safety, Stevenson noted.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime/judge-orders-unruly-british-passenger-to-pay-westjets-21000-fuel-bill/wcm/5a194937-ea21-4fe7-9a04-323b97956e70

[Historic NY]

1. We need our airlines to start doing this......

[MineralMan]

2. HaHa!

[lindysalsagal]

3. Bars can refuse service, so should planes.

[melm00se]

10. I have been on flights

where they have.

It doesn't help when they get the planed 80% of the way bombed and that last double puts them over the edge.

[mokawanis]

4. My son and I were on a flight to Vegas years ago

a group of men sitting in front of us were drinking heavily and started making "jokes"about the other passengers and dropping a lot of f bombs. The worst I remember was, when an Asian woman walked down the aisle, "here comes Yoko Ono." The stewardess talked to them twice and politely told them to knock it off and the third time she spoke to them all she said was "if I talk to you again during this flight it will be to let you know the police will be waiting for you when we land." That one got their attention and brought about an immediate change in their behavior.

[2naSalit]

5. A few more of these made public and that might make

air travel nicer for a while. Rude people suck.

[FakeNoose]

6. Wow, love it!

I hope the other drunks get the message too. Just because you paid for a plane ticket, it doesn't entitle you to be a complete asswipe.

[cwydro]

7. "Recuperate?"

I think they meant recoup. Lordie me.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Maybe it means something different in "Canadian", eh? nt

[Vinca]

8. Makes sense to me. If you're going to be a stupid asshole you'd better have money.