Passengers bound for Cuba had a pit stop in Bermuda Wednesday after a drunken passenger tried to open the First Choice Boeing 767 plane's door mid-flight.
Air rage such as this incident is becoming more common on British flights. Last year Civil Aviation Authority dealt with 2,219 reports of disruptive behaviour on flights in 2006-2007. The previous year there had been 1,359 reported incidents. Common causes have to do with smoking and drinking during the flight. Domestic disputes, anger over seating and people feeling their personal space has been violated are also causes cited in the reports. There were 42 cases that escalated to the point where disruptive passengers had to be restrained for the remainder of a flight. Fourteen flights had to be diverted while 19 flights never made it off the original runways before the abusive passengers were handled. 235 cases resulted in passengers being ordered off of the flights. In 235 cases security in some form, either police or airport, had to be called in to take care of the matter.
On Wednesday's flight the passenger was arrested when the plane landed in Bermuda. The flight originated in Gatwick. After a night at a Bermuda hotel the rest of the 257 passengers and 11 crew finished the final leg of the trip landing in Cuba on Thursday.
A First Choice spokeswoman said: "The safety of all our customers and crew is our number-one priority and First Choice Airways operates a zero tolerance policy in regard to abusive or drunken behaviour on our flights. On landing in Bermuda the disruptive passenger was met by airport officials and placed in their custody."
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