Shocking footage shows the moment a man punched an air steward on a flight from Thailand to the UK before being arrested for GBH.
The incident unfolded after a man – said to be British – started ‘smashing’ around in the toilet of a Thai Airways flight on February 7, it is claimed.
Other passengers and cabin crew on the Bangkok to Heathrow route then tried to intervene.
However, the situation escalated, ending with a 35-year old man – who has not yet been named – being arrested upon landing in London, police said.
A female passenger sitting just a few seats away who did not want to give her name recorded the drama unfold on her phone.
Her video shows the man punching a steward, who then falls to the floor in the aisle.
She said: ‘He was in the toilet and he started screaming and shouting. He started smashing the door and it came away from the hinges.
‘An older guy – in the white t-shirt – tried to get him out. A fight broke out and he ended up smacking the flight attendant. I think he broke his nose.’
The 22-year-old, who was returning from a months-long trip, shot more video which shows the man shouting while being kept in a seat.
She said even more passengers became involved after the punch was thrown.
Travellers were advised that the flight might have to divert to Dubai but, if no further incident happened, they could continue to London, she added.
She said: ‘Two passengers sat either side of him and kept pulling him down. We had to put up with his shouting. He was being very verbally abusive.
‘It was rough. People were swapping seats and moving kids to the back of the plane. [Upon landing] the police came on and got him off.’
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers responded to a report of an assault on board an inbound flight from Bangkok.
The force said: ‘We met the aircraft on arrival and a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and endangering an aircraft.
‘He remains in custody.
‘Another man was taken to hospital. His condition was assessed as not life-threatening.’
Thai Airways was approached for comment.
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Perkin Amalaraj
