When Flight Attendants Attack: Former Stewardess Throws Drunken Tantrum in the Air
Former flight attendant faces charges for freaking out on a British Airways flight in August (Photo: Thinkstock)
You’d think a former flight attendant would know better.
A woman pleaded guilty in a British court to attacking a British Airways Flight crew on a New York to London flight in August. Brie Ann Johnson allegedly barricaded herself in a business class bathroom, assaulted two crew members, and screamed “I’m going to shoot you in the face.”
According to The Daily Mail, Johnson’s lawyers say the former flight attendant has no memory of the incident and is “devastated and horrified at her behavior.”
As is often the case in these mid-air freak-outs, the trouble started with a drink… several of them, in fact. Johnson — a U.S. resident who was flying from New York to London to meet up with her new husband — was drinking wine on the upper deck of the British Airways 747. Her attorneys noted she was also on the anti-anxiety medication Xanax and she’d had nothing to eat.
The trouble started when Johnson was drinking while on Xanax. Her lawyers say she hadn’t had anything to eat (Photo: Thinkstock)
The incident occurred about 90 minutes into the flight when Johnson locked herself in the bathroom; the crew says they heard “groaning and banging noises” coming from inside. Johnson refused to come out and the crew had to take the door off its hinges to remove her.
Related: The 5 Kinds of Drunks Flight Attendants Can’t Stand on the Plane
That’s when things got crazy. Johnson reportedly shouted, “F*** off. Get off me!” As flight attendants carried her back to the galley, she reportedly kicked two of them in the shins, punched one, and tried to bite the other (so much for professional courtesy). That’s when prosecutors say she issued her face-shooting threat.
When the flight landed in Heathrow, the police were there waiting (Photo: Thinkstock)
Police officers met her at the gate in London.
In her court hearing, Johnson was very apologetic. Her attorneys said she regrets her behavior, especially because she used to work on an airline. They also said Johnson hasn’t slept since the incident because she’s terrified of the prospect of going to prison.
Related: Air Rage: Why Does Flying Make People So Crazy?
She has reason to worry. At the hearing, the judge said: “This was alarming and violent behavior and violence in an airplane inevitably carries immediate imprisonment.”
But the judge gave her a break — “by the skin of your teeth” — sentencing Johnson to six months in prison but suspending it for 18 months. Johnson was also ordered to pay fines, costs, and restitution to the flight attendants she assaulted.
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