A passenger was "just enjoying a sing-song" during a flight to Jamaica which was forced to land in America after an alleged air rage incident, a court heard yesterday.
Ms Elizabeth O'Driscoll (34), who denies being drunk on an aircraft, told Hove Crown Court she was "overexcited" about her first overseas holiday.
Ms O'Driscoll, who lives with her six brothers and six sisters at a caravan park in Lewisham, London, was standing trial with Mr Francis Coyle (41) and Mr Patrick Connors (36), also from Lewisham. They deny affray and endangering an aircraft.
The court heard, that on January 31st last year, Ms O'Driscoll left Lewisham for her first holiday abroad.
She met other members of the party of 12 travelling to Montego Bay with Airtours at Gatwick Airport before boarding the Boeing 767 carrying more than 320 people.
She told Mr Ronald Jaffa, defending, she drank three and a half cans of lager during the entire flight, diverted after eight hours to Norfolk International Airport in Virginia after Mr Connors clashed with a Jamaican passenger.
Ms O'Driscoll admitted singing on board the flight with two of her sisters.
She said: "I was over-excited. The first thing I do when I get excited is to sing.
"At first we were singing Summer Holiday, and then we sang Irish songs. I was not the loudest. I am not a very good singer. I have a terrible voice so I would not be very loud.
"We were told to stop singing by a steward. We stopped but started again. It was the first time I had been on holiday. I carried on more than I should have done."
Cabin crew on the flight later refused to serve the women.
One stewardess told the court earlier in the trial that one member of the group swore at her as she and the party were led off the plane by the FBI.
Cross-examining, Mr Michael Warren, prosecuting, said: "On much of that flight you were drunk. You were singing loudly. You were wanting more drink and were angry when not given any."
Ms O'Driscoll said: "My group did nothing wrong on that flight. It was just a singsong. I never used bad language."
The trial continues.