Jet2 passenger arrested at Birmingham Airport because he was so drunk he couldn’t open his bag

The former manager of an Italian restaurant in Birmingham was so drunk on a flight he couldn’t open his bag to show his passport. Ali Ozdemir, who previously ran Cielo, at Brindley Place, collapsed in his seat and vomited on himself during the trip.

Ozdemir, 49, of Oakley Road, Stirchley, who previously admitted being drunk on a plane, was jailed for three months. Andrew Wallace, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said police were called to Birmingham Airport on October 19 last year following a report of an intoxicated passenger in a Jet2 aircraft from Turkey.

He told the court: “The defendant had vomited on himself and on the aircraft seats on the plane. He was removed from the aircraft. He was observed to be slumped in his seat , smelled of vomit and alcohol and had red eyes.”

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Handing down his sentence, Judge Simon Drew QC said: “On October 19 last year, it is abundantly clear from witness statements that you were very drunk, even when you got on the plane, but how impossible it is for me to know.

“It was noticeable to the passengers on the plane and very quickly became noticeable to the flight attendants and cabin crew who saw that you were slumped in your seat and had vomited not only on yourself -same but on adjacent seats.

“You were on a long flight from Turkey to this country. When asked for your passport, you were simply unable to produce the one in your bag which revealed your condition.

“You did not offer any aggression to anyone on the plane and you were not rude to them. The fact is that people who are intoxicated on a plane pose a serious risk to anyone in the ‘plane.

“There is always the danger that due to your inebriation your behavior will spiral out of control and endanger the lives of those on board the aircraft because of it who cannot escape.”

Syed Ahmed, defender, said Ozdemir’s behavior did not cause any concern, he was not aggressive and no one was forced to move seats. He said his head was resting against the window and he had fallen asleep.

Mr. Ahmed testified that the accused traveled regularly to Turkey and that on that occasion he went to an engagement party. He said he believed part of what happened on the plane was due to stomach aches and that he had also been stressed following his divorce.

Ozdemir, he said, had two glasses of wine at the airport. he added: “He was remorseful from the start and has no prior convictions. He is divorced and was the manager of Cielo at Brindley Place, which recently closed.” Mr Ahmed said Ozdemir was currently unemployed but was looking for work in the restaurant industry.

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