An Aer Lingus passenger who brought an airplane's cabin crew to tears after informing them that his mother had contracted COVID-19 has been jailed for two months by Dublin District Court.
The Irish Times reports that Dutch passenger Job van den Broek was flying from Amsterdam to Dublin en route to LA when he delayed the take-off of the Aer Lingus flight after he insisted to take a phone-call when a safety demonstration was scheduled to take place before take-off.
In an attempt to clear the air, van den Broek falsely informed cabin crew that he had to call his mother who had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The courtroom heard that pandemonium ensued among staff and passengers - which led to the plane being put in quarantine by the HSE after it touched down at Dublin Airport.
Judge Conal Gibbons noted that the defendant's claim was "unbelievable" in a world that is "in a state of fear and anxiety" over the virus.
The defendant pleaded guilty to air rage at the Dublin court.
An offer by van den Broek to donate €1,500 was flatly denied by Judge Gibbons, who said that one couldn't buy their way out of trouble.
A two month sentence was imposed on the defendant who walked free from the court after being granted bail pending an appeal.
Image: Stock file
