A British Airways flight attendant's firm words to a disruptive passenger were turned into a drum and bass track by a DJ who was on the same flight. The incident occurred on flight BA275 from London's Heathrow Airport to Las Vegas on Thursday, August 6, when a drunk man became involved in a confrontation with cabin crew, leading to his arrest.
DJ captures the chaos
Drum and bass artist DJ Bou was traveling in business class, where tickets can cost up to £7,000, when he heard the commotion from the rear of the plane. The male passenger refused to sit down as the aircraft, carrying over 300 passengers, was approaching the runway for takeoff. A female crew member repeatedly told him to 'stay seated, sir' and 'listen to instructions,' but he ignored her and became increasingly abusive, hurling expletives at staff and fellow passengers.
The crew member warned him: 'If I have to tell you again, I will be restraining you, sir, if you do not stay seated.' The man was pushed back into his seat several times and was told he would be 'restrained' if he continued to cause trouble.
Takeoff aborted
The man's actions forced the pilot to abort takeoff with seconds to go, and he was escorted off the Airbus A350 by armed police. DJ Bou, who was heading to a gig in Las Vegas, said he had wanted to sleep on the flight 'but all I could hear was some drunken idiot.'
The DJ turned the interaction into art, sampling the flight attendant's words into a track during the over 10-hour flight. Before the plane landed in Nevada, he had invited her to his gig, where she later appeared performing the track live behind the decks.
Praise for the crew member
'Fair play to the air hostess here, because she absolutely held it down,' DJ Bou praised alongside a video shared on Instagram, adding that the airline should 'give her a raise.' In the comments, @viralvideo.club called her 'an absolute hero,' while @tjalife said: 'I hope she gets all the recognition she deserves.' @adonakis55 wrote: 'She was fearless.'
A British Airways spokesperson said: 'Disruptive or abusive behaviour is never tolerated on board, and the safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority. When these incidents occur, the appropriate action will always be taken.'
Arrest and charge
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed officers were called following 'reports of a passenger being disruptive on an outbound plane' at around 5.30pm on Thursday, August 6. The plane returned to the terminal to allow officers to board. The man, identified as Emmet Moynihan, 31, of Mount Vernon, Cork, Ireland, was charged on Friday, August 7, with being drunk on an aircraft and disobeying the orders of the captain. He has been bailed to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday, August 26.
