Disruptive Passenger Handcuffed on Transatlantic Flight

On May 23, a 51-year-old British man named Simon Jones caused a major disturbance on a 10-hour British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow. Jones was described as 'agitated' and his disruptive behavior began even before the flight, as he was clapping and speaking loudly during pre-flight checks.

Once in the air, Jones repeatedly got up to use the toilet and started shouting and swearing at the passenger beside him. When another passenger asked him to refrain from swearing, Jones threatened to "put that into your f***g face" if he touched him again, after his pillow brushed against Jones as he stood up. Jones then sat on the emergency door, despite being told not to, and argued with a crew member. His outbursts prompted the captain to give permission to restrain him, and Jones was subsequently handcuffed to his seat.

The crew had to check on Jones every 15 minutes until the flight landed, significantly impacting their duties, including serving other passengers. Jones' defense lawyer stated that he suffers from bipolar disorder and was not taking his medication properly at the time. The judge sentenced Jones to a 12-month community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work and a ban from international travel for six months.