Instagram model threatened to blow up plane after demanding a glass of wine forcing crew to handcuff her
AN Instagram model threatened to blow up a plane after demanding a glass of wine and forcing a crew member to handcuff her.
Hannah Lee Pierson has been charged after the dramatic mid-flight fiasco, which happened on an Air New Zealand flight in November last year.
Crew had begun serving food and beverages onboard Pierson’s flight, which was routed to Auckland from Melbourne, when she requested a glass of wine, News.com.au reported.
Upon being told that her ticket did not cover wine, and that she would need to purchase one from the menu, Pierson allegedly began yelling abuse at a member of the flight crew.
According to the summary of facts heard by the court, she yelled: “I don’t give a f**k, get me a f***ing wine.”
Following this, she allegedly stood up and yelled: “I’ll f***ing get it myself, give me the f***ing wine”.
She was also said to have called the attendant a “b**ch”.
When the enraged woman tried to leave her seat, crew managed to divert her into a vacant row of seats, and hold her there.
Pierson then allegedly grabbed a crew member’s arm in a tight grip, squeezing it, hard, before making movements with her head as though she were about to headbutt the crew member.
The crew reportedly became concerned about Pierson’s continued efforts to leave the seat – particularly because she was situated near an emergency exit.
She also is alleged to have continued to yell: “Get me a ***ing wine or I’ll blow up the plane”.
According to the summary of facts, Pierson was handcuffed by crew members, who then strapped her securely to the chair using spare seat belts.
Her chaotic behaviour continued with “total disregard for the other passengers in the vicinity that included young children”, the summary said.
There were 72 other passengers on board the flight.
Pierson was alleged to have fallen asleep around 90 minutes before arriving at Auckland Airport, but continued her diatribe upon landing in New Zealand.
Pierson appeared in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday, when she admitted a charge of disorderly behaviour and another of disruptive conduct towards a crew member.
She appeared before Judge Alistair Garland, who asked her lawyer if she had an alcohol problem.
Pierson admitted that alcohol had been an issue in the past.
She entered a guilty plea, and her lawyer said she intended to apply for a discharge without conviction – which may enable her to avoid travel consequences.
Judge Garland, who remarked that airlines would probably be “quite happy” if she didn’t travel.
Pierson has been remanded on bail, to be sentenced on June 23.
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