Drunk jet passenger who lit up on flight is jailed

An airline passenger who lit up a cigarette while drunk on a flight back to the UK from Turkey has been jailed.

Emma Woolley, 43, was also abusive towards flight attendants on the Jet2 plane from Antalya to Leeds Bradford Airport, on 28 January this year.

Woolley was sentenced to four months in prison at Leeds Crown Court having earlier pleaded guilty to smoking on an aircraft, entering an aircraft while drunk and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards aircraft crew.

The airline said it had had "no choice" but to call for police help to remove Woolley, of Warren Avenue in Wakefield, from the plane after it had landed.

Phil Ward, Jet2's managing director, said the company took a "zero tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour" after the sentencing on 3 July.

He said: "This summer we will fly millions of hard-working customers and families away to enjoy their well-deserved holidays, but sadly there are a handful of people who behave in a disruptive fashion, often fuelled by alcohol that has been purchased in duty free and is then illicitly consumed onboard.

"Ms Woolley must now face the consequences of her behaviour and we are confident that this sentencing will send out a very clear message to others about how severe the consequences can be."

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