A passenger on a charter flight from England to Mexico got physical with his wife and a flight attendant, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bermuda.
Edward Mongan, 42, was arrested and taken off the plane. He was fined 5,250 pounds, or $6,500.06 in U.S. dollars, after a raging incident on a TUI flight. Formerly U.K-based Thomson Airways, the renamed TUI is the world's largest charter airline.
It is not known exactly what sparked what was described as "a furious row with his wife," but it clearly set Mongan off. When flight attendant and cabin manager Anne Marie Evans tried to speak to him about his abusive language, he responded by telling Evans to "**** off! Get out of my sight."
Prosecutors in Hamilton, Bermuda, where Mongan was detained said the passenger then went to the back of the plane and shouted at another crew member before returning to his seat. He then spit in his wife's face and physically pushed Evans away.
The pilot, fearing further escalation, diverted the flight to Bermuda.
Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe told the court in Bermuda: "One can only imagine what was going through the passengers' minds while this was happening."
For his part, Mongan admitted his wrongdoing.
"What I did was uncalled for. I'll never do it again," he told the court. "My wife is in Mexico. I just want to see my wife and kids."
TUI said the flight continued on to Cancun shortly after the emergency landing.
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