TW: This article mentions graphic details about abuse.
Air travel is expensive because they allow people to cover long-distance journeys quickly. At the same time, they can travel in luxury and comfort. The aviation industry is a tough market. Customer satisfaction, maintenance costs, and many other factors make a flight journey enjoyable. Yet, these days, several accidents, reports of negligence, and instances of rage, along with unacceptable cases of racial discrimination and in-flight abuse, are being reported.
A shocking incident unfolded aboard a Saudia Airlines flight SV119, a Boeing 787 (registration HZ-AR27), landing at London’s Heathrow Airport. A 33-year-old male passenger was arrested at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time on August 28 after allegedly punching a crew member and attempting to open the cabin door just moments after landing in Terminal 4 in London.
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According to PEOPLE magazine, a statement confirmed that the man was arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft and two counts of assault by beating, threatening or abusive conduct towards a flight crew member, and damaging the aircraft. The man reportedly began arguing with a crew member before striking him while trying to open the door on the plane.
Sources told The Independent that the man was impatient and refused to wait for the deboarding. Stairs were hurriedly assembled as police, emergency authorities, and ground staff were allowed access to the cockpit. Everyone was stunned as pictures showcased multiple emergency vehicles at the scene, including four fire engines, six police cars, ambulances, and several airport response units. ( via The Sun).
“It was chaos on board and very frightening for families,” one witness told the outlet. Another added, “The plane had its wheels down, but the man was extremely agitated. He hit a crew member and demanded to get off immediately.” Others called the scene “crazy and “terrifying.”
Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade also confirmed its involvement. The airport officials said the disruption to other services was minimal. Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport mainly serves long-haul flights. Other airlines like Etihad Airways, Kenya Airways, and Air France are coming in. It was initially opened in 1986 and is one of the busiest international airports.
The Saudia Airlines flight, which took six hours to reach London, was 38 minutes behind its scheduled time. This airline operates out of Jeddah and services Heathrow from five Saudi cities. It hasn’t officially commented on the incident, but reports reveal it was serious. The man whose name has not been disclosed has since been released under investigation.
Heathrow’s passenger levels are now at their lowest since 1966: the year ‘London Airport’ was renamed ‘Heathrow’. SO here’s a super 1955 Pathé clip showing off the new terminal buildings created to cope with the then-burgeoning passenger numbers. pic.twitter.com/BPbckTXFwi
— Tim Dunn (@MrTimDunn) March 11, 2021
Further details are awaited at the time of writing this story. Increased cases of abuse and assault on flights have raised concerns over people’s code of conduct in today’s world. These cases have come to light thanks to social media, and people are more aware than they used to be.
