A reckless husband ruined a honeymoon to Santorini 2023 after he drunkenly refused to stop vaping on the plane and caused a disturbance on the flight.
Christopher Thomson was supposed to take his new wife on a romantic honeymoon to the Greek island last September but the 43-year-old was instead kicked off the flight at Manchester Airport before take-off and arrested by police after he repeatedly ignored crew orders to stop vaping on the plane.
In particular, Thomson got up out of his seat and, being drunk, told the pilot to "f*** off".
The flight was cancelled due to the delay caused and Thomson was arrested. As he was led in handcuffs into a waiting police van, he shouted for his wife to film the incident and to ‘get a lawyer’.
Thomson was handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to entering an aircraft when drunk.
Prosecuting, Tobias Collins said that the offence took place on September 16 last year, at Terminal 1 on a Jet2 flight to Santorini.
“The defendant was seen to be vaping on the plane and was told to stop by staff,” Mr Collins said. “He was clearly intoxicated at the time. He didn’t stop.
“The captain determined that he was a safety risk and went to speak to him. He didn’t stop and told the captain to ‘f*** off’. The flight was eventually cancelled due to the delay caused.”
Police met cabin crew and Thomson as he left the plane. He was heard to be shouting from the bridge for his partner to film what was happening.
Thomson was said to have previous convictions, the most recent being for drink driving in 2006.
Mitigating, Alistair Reid said: “Being intoxicated on a plane is not acceptable - he has accepted that.
“There is no suggestion of any concern caused to other passengers.”
Mr Reid said that his client swore at the captain out of ‘exasperation’ rather than in ‘aggression’.
The flight had already been delayed and so Thomson and his wife spent ‘some time’ consuming alcohol. “They were in good spirits and he has instinctively reached for his vape,” Mr Reid said.
“That was poor judgement on his part, due to the alcohol. He is mortified by what he did and how he spoke to the captain. Also seeing his wife’s face and the disappointment and anguish he was causing her.”
Sentencing him, Recorder Jennifer Cleeve said he could have caused ‘serious danger and health issues’ to other passengers. She said as a result the return flight was cancelled and the crew could not work which led to huge costs by the airline.
“I have no doubt you and your wife were upset after having ruined the honeymoon,” she added. “You do appear to be remorseful and have said you do not intend to drink alcohol at an airport and nor vape on a plane again.”
Thomson, of Parkland Close, Appleton, was handed 10 weeks imprisonment which was suspended for a year, and was ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work. He must also pay £510 court costs.
READ MORE: Booking.com: Ermoupoli is the 2nd most hospitable city in the world.