Singapore jails drunk passenger who went berserk on Scoot flight

The man also grabbed a crew member’s wrist and threatened to kill him

A man was jailed for five weeks on Wednesday for an episode of “air rage” during which he had to be physically restrained on a Scoot flight from Australia to Singapore.

Kolathu James Leo, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of boarding a plane in such a state of intoxication that he jeopardised the good order and discipline required on the flight.

The offence under the Air Navigation Act carries a jail term of up to a year, a fine of up to S$20,000 (US$15,370) or both penalties.

He faced two other charges of criminal force and harassment – by grabbing a crew member’s wrist and threatening to kill him – that were considered for sentencing.

The court heard that Kolathu, who lived in Canberra, was on Scoot flight TR3 from Sydney to Singapore on February 27.

He was due to transit through Singapore on the way to India, after having recently received news that his uncle had died there.

That morning, Kolathu downed at least four shots of whisky at home before making his way to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.

He boarded the flight in a state of intoxication, and shortly after take-off, got up from his seat even though the seat belt sign was still on.

He complied with crew members when they asked him to return to his seat, but started to harass three passengers seated near him by shouting at them and repeatedly pushing one who was next to him.

The pilot issued a warning letter for the crew to give to Kolathu, which cautioned him to mind his behaviour.

But Kolathu crumpled the letter without reading it. He also tried to detach a seat pocket and slammed the seat in front of him.

A crew member saw these actions and was afraid Kolathu would turn violent. He reported the incident to the pilot and asked his colleagues to bring a physical restraint device.

The three passengers being harassed by Kolathu were moved to other seats. The pilot then ordered Kolathu to be restrained using the device.

Kolathu was arrested after the plane landed at Changi Airport. A blood sample taken from him was found to contain 96mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood.

The prosecution sought four weeks’ jail, while the defence asked for three weeks’ jail.

In sentencing, District Judge Janet Wang said this was a case of “air rage” where the safety of the flight crew and passengers was significantly threatened.

She said the high standards of safety in air travel must be ensured at all times.

This is because unlike other modes of public transport, it would be challenging to get prompt help from law enforcement officers mid-flight, or to divert a flight due to an emergency.

Air transport workers are vulnerable victims, she added, and Kolathu displayed a sustained pattern of violent conduct as well as consistent defiance of warnings.

This story was first published by CNA