Overview
- The incident took place on February 5 on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai to Heathrow when Simone de Gale became abusive after being asked not to cross an aisle near a sleeping nine-month-old.
- Cabin crew say de Gale verbally abused staff, jabbed flight attendant Sarah Jane Buckland near the collarbone and grabbed her cardigan as other crew and passengers tried to calm the situation.
- Pilots moved the shaken attendant to the flight deck while they considered restraining de Gale or diverting the aircraft, and Heathrow aviation officers who met the plane reported slurred speech, a strong smell of alcohol and stumbling on disembarkation.
- On October 15 magistrates at Ealing Magistrates' Court convicted de Gale in her absence of four offences including assault and being drunk on an aircraft, and a warrant was issued after she failed to attend.
- De Gale is a prominent architect with public roles and awards, her assistant has told officials she has been stranded in Dubai, and the conviction may prompt professional fallout and a police effort to arrest or extradite her.