Nightmare passenger ‘spits wine’ at family on BA flight

An inebriated British Airways passenger flying from Heathrow to San Diego was arrested last week after smuggling alcohol onto the plane in her hand luggage and spitting wine in a family’s face. 

The incident took place after a woman smuggled a bottle of wine onto a BA flight last Wednesday 13 August, with the drink hidden in her hand luggage.

According to reports, the unnamed woman ordered a further glass of Chardonnay and a Bloody Mary from the in-flight drinks service before shouting abuse at a couple and their daughter who were seated behind her. Eyewitnesses report that she threw water at the family and mocked them, before swilling and spitting wine over them.

A witness onboard the flight told The Sun newspaper: “She slugged as much wine as she could, got up from her seat, and intentionally spat the wine swilling around her mouth into their faces. It was disgusting and rancid.”

The woman allegedly grabbed hold of the wife’s hair and eventually vomited violently across all three of them.

Bedlam

Another source told The Sun it was obvious the woman was drunk “just minutes into the flight”. She apparently claimed it was her birthday and that she was enjoying “a few drinks” but the situation quickly escalated with the woman reportedly walking up and down the aisle, “stumbling and moaning incoherently.”

Describing the scene as “bedlam”, the source said: “The poor family were so upset and angry – and they had every right to be. The woman was a total disgrace.”

The inebriated woman, dubbed “the passenger from hell”, is said to have passed out for 11 hours following the incident, but was arrested when the plane landed as the flight crew had radioed ahead to the San Diego police department. She is currently “under investigation” by police and the airline.

Witness say BA staff “did everything they could do help out”, including moving the family to different seats at the front of the plane, and issuing an order preventing the sale of more alcohol to the individual in question.

Polar opposite

The image is the polar opposite of the one global airlines are keen to portray with regards to their relationship with alcohol. In recent years, airlines have invested huge sums into creating enviable wine lists, forging exclusive partnerships with premium brands to outdo their rivals. Delta Airlines teamed up with Taittinger, for example, while Singapore Airlines became the only carrier to serve the “supreme” 2015 vintage of Cristal.

Airlines have also been recruiting top wine talent with Qatar appointing Master of Wine Anne Krebiehl to curate its wine list and sourcing strategy, and BA hiring Tim Jackson MW to “continue to deliver the premium experience that our customers look for when they fly with us,” said Sajida Ismail, Director of Onboard Experience at British Airways

For many airlines their wine experience begins before a customer even boards the plane. In 2023, British Airways opened a Whispering Angel bar in Heathrow’s Terminal 5, and also offered customers the option to pre-order Whispering Angel across all short-haul flights “to take the experience with them, from the ground to the skies.”

Looking to combat antisocial behaviour on flights, Ryanair CEO Michael Leary has called for international airports to impose a two alcoholic drinks limit on passengers before boarding. Leary said he would also support a similar restriction once passengers are on the plane.

“They’re [passengers are] getting on board with too much alcohol in their system. If we identify them as being drunk on board, we don’t serve them alcohol. But that doesn’t solve the problem,” Leary said.

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