A 44-year-old man who behaved violently towards the passengers of an aircraft was definitely condemned to the penalty of 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment with execution, for the unlawful commission of any act of physical or mental violence against a person on board a civil aircraft in flight or in preparation for flight, if the act is likely to endanger the safety of this aircraft, an act provided for and punished by art. 119 para. 1 of Law 21/2020 on the Air Code of Romania and for committing the crime of destruction.
Also, the court ordered, as a complementary punishment, the prohibition of certain rights, namely the exercise of the right to be elected in public authorities or in any other public positions and the right to occupy a position that involves the exercise of state authority for a period of 3 years, after serving the main sentence.
The decision belongs to the Buftea Court
The decision belongs to the Buftea Court, after the border police officers from the Bucharest Otopeni Airport Border Crossing Surveillance and Control Center drew up, on behalf of the person in question, a criminal case for violating the Air Code and notified the competent prosecutor's office.
In the case, on 24.03.2022, the border police took over the man, upon landing, from an aircraft traveling on the Copenhagen - Otopeni route and which landed, at 21:10, in emergency mode on Henri Coandă International Airport Bucharest. The reason was generated by the fact that the man, being in an advanced state of intoxication, became unruly and started an altercation during landing, verbally assaulting both the passengers and the flight crew members.
At the time, the crew followed standard safety procedures and the aircraft landed safely. The passenger was picked up by the authorities and the rest of the passengers were disembarked according to normal procedures.
We specify that, in accordance with Art. 119 – (1) of Law 21/2020 on the Air Code of Romania, "The unlawful commission of any act of physical or mental violence against a person on board a civil aircraft in flight or in preparation for flight, if the act is likely to endanger the safety of this aircraft, is punishable by imprisonment from 1 to 5 years and the prohibition of certain rights".
At the same time, according to Art. 119 – (2) of the same Air Code, "If the act provided for in para. (1) was committed against a member of the aircraft crew, the penalty is imprisonment from 2 to 7 years and the prohibition of certain rights".
In conclusion, avoid arguments on the plane!