A 35-year-old man has appeared in court on charges of being drunk and disorderly on a Ryanair flight from Portugal to Dublin that had to divert to Cork Airport after he allegedly became obstreperous on the flight.
Neil Hughes of Willow Park Grove, Glasnevin, Dublin, was brought before Cork District Court today after being arrested at Cork Airport on Monday after Ryanair Flight FR 7031 from Faro to Dublin diverted to Cork and landed.
Mr Hughes was charged that being a person aboard Ryanair Flight FR 7031, he was intoxicated to such an extent as to give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he might endanger himself or other persons on board the plane, contrary to the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1973.
And he was also charged that being a person aboard Ryanair Flight FR 7031, he did without justification, engage in behaviour likely to cause serious offence or annoyance on board the aircraft, having been requested by a member of the crew to cease such behaviour.
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Garda Fearghal Bolger of Togher Garda Station told Judge Mary Dorgan that there was no objection to Mr Hughes taking up bail on condition that he would sign on once a week at his local Garda station, be of sober habits, and not fly with Ryanair.
Sgt John Dineen said that at 12:45pm on Monday, December 15th, gardaí from Togher Garda Station responded to reports from Cork Airport Police who had requested Garda assistance with an inbound flight diverted to Cork.
He said the Ryanair flight had departed Faro in Portugal at 10.15am for Dublin with captain Bryan Quinn and five cabin crew on board but the cabin were unable to contain a passenger who was observed lying across row 27 and highly intoxicated.
He said it was alleged that the passenger became increasingly more aggressive towards the cabin crew and a decision was made to divert to Cork Airport where the passenger resisted arrest when gardaí boarded the flight and he had to be handcuffed before being removed.
Judge Dorgan said it was a serious matter, and she believed further bail conditions were needed, including that Mr Hughes be put on his own bond of €1,500, €500 of which must be lodged in court, surrender his passport and sign on three times a week at Ballymun Garda Station.
She remanded Mr Hughes in custody with consent to bail on those terms to appear again at Cork District Court on December 22nd after hearing from Sgt Dineen that DPP directions were awaited in the case.
