Rage in the skies: Part I

Grant Hackett’s recent airborne indiscretion set Travel Weekly’s antennae twitching. So, for no reason whatsoever, we present the 10 most frivolous incidents of air rage. Part 1 today and part 2 tomorrow.

Buck-ing the system
Way back in 2002 Peter Buck, lead guitarist of America’s favourite rock band REM, went on a bizarre airborne rampage he later blamed on mixing the sleeping pill Zolpiden with alcohol. Quite a lot of alcohol it seems.
His antics began after being refused a 16^th consecutive alcoholic beverage by cabin crew. In the ensuing mayhem he splattered hosties with yoghurt, wrestled with a purser after hitting the control panel of a cabin door and upended a trolley, sending crockery flying.
In court he managed to avoid a conviction after a series of character witnesses, including U2’s Bono and his bandmate Michael Stipe provided character references. It followed the food pelting antics of UK rockers Oasis on a Cathay Pacific flight to Australia back in 1998. After receiving a life ban from the airline, Liam Gallagher famously said he’d “rather walk”.

Doing her nut
In what has become the world’s most celebrated incident of airborne craziness, back in 2014 Korean Air vice president Heather Cho – daughter of airline president Cho Yang-ho – blew her stack at several hostesses after being served bagged macadamia nuts in First Class.
It was reported that Cho launched into a tirade at not having her nuts served on a plate and then forced the chief steward to kneel and issue a groveling apology, before summarily dismissing him. Next she ordered the plane back to the gate to boot him off. After a media firestorm erupted she resigned one of her many positions and was ultimately convicted by a Korean court of obstructing aviation safety and given a one-year prison sentence.

Bending the rules
Nothing says peaceful like the noble Hindu art of yoga. However the scene onboard a United Airlines flight from Honolulu to Tokyo in March was anything but serene after a 72-year old Korean man became disruptive and violent. The reason? He wished to practice yoga in the aisle instead of being served the customary meal. It took several United staff and five US Marines, who happened to be onboard, to restrain the antsy septuagenarian, who no doubt had a lot of explaining to do when the FBI collared him after the plane returned to Honolulu.

A wee spot of trouble
When a shirtless man on an Air Mediterranie flight from Algiers to Paris was denied an in-flight cigarette and booze, there was only one logical thing to do: urinate on another passenger.
This in turn sparked a massive mid air brawl, which was only contained when flight crew tackled the percy-pointing perpetrator. The flight was diverted to the French city of Lyon, where the gentleman was led away by local gendarmerie.

Porn star drama
Hell hath no fury like a woman porned? That was certainly the case when adult entertainment’s Tory Lane – real name Lisa Nicole Piasecki – downed several alcoholic beverages on a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles… and then went absolutely troppo. After unleashing a string of expletives at cabin crew, Lane then put the boot into several passengers. Upon being arrested by LA law enforcement, she was reputedly dragged off the plane kicking and screaming. Perhaps the title of one of her more risqué outings, When Porn Stars Attack, should have served as a warning.

Image credit: Hulya Ozkok | Buzz 60

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