Jessica Kostakopoulou, 43, appeared in court after she was caught trying to board a flight at Heathrow Airport while more than 12 times over the legal alcohol limit
A flight attendant has admitted attempting to board a plane at Heathrow Airport while over 12 times the legal alcohol limit. Jessica Kostakopoulou, 43, insisted she hadn’t been drinking when security halted her in Terminal 2 of the west London airport on March, 22 leading to police being called.
The employee of Scandinavian Air since October of the previous year, “appeared unsteady on her feet and slurred her words” and reeked of booze during the incident, prosecutor Reem Khatib informed Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
Follow-up breathalyser tests revealed she had 254 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system. The legal limit is 20 milligrams, the court was told.
Kostakopoulou, of Claremont Road, Windsor, pleaded guilty to carrying out an activity, namely going through security, which was ancillary to an aviation function at the court on Tuesday.
Defence lawyer Amber Pierce assured the court that the defendant was not supervising the flight she planned to board and “no direct harm” resulted from her actions.
The court learned that Kostakopoulou, who had a clean record and had been in the aviation industry for over two decades, quit her job as a flight attendant immediately after the incident.
The magistrates bench slapped the defendant with a £623 fine, inclusive of a victim surcharge and legal costs, to be paid in monthly instalments, recognising her remorse as “genuine”.
Speaking to the court, Kostakopoulou expressed: “I feel very ashamed and embarrassed about everything that happened.
“I’m trying to amend my ways now and start a new job. I’m very sorry.”
The news comes after we reported how shocking footage allegedly captures two unruly stag party members being dragged off a Ryanair aircraft by officers after touching down in Alicante.
The video, apparently filmed by a fellow passenger, seems to show one of the duo grappling with a Spanish police officer as he’s led towards the aircraft door.
A second officer appears to guide the other man down the aisle.
Upon reaching the entrance, another scuffle seemingly erupts before both are bundled through the exit as passengers are heard yelling at them to get off.
Guardia Civil officers were positioned on the tarmac awaiting the two men after the Leeds Bradford flight touched down at the Spanish holiday destination at 7.22pm, according to The Sun, reports the Express.
One passenger told the publication that the duo were part of a bachelor party and seemed intoxicated whilst waiting to board.
They claimed the two men were “getting rowdy and lairy towards the end of the flight and the crew called ahead for police back-up”.
“Everyone was fed up with them by the end. It was carnage,” they added.
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