Virgin Atlantic bans three after brawl on Barbados flight

Virgin says the married couple and elderly relative breached the airline's travelling conditions by starting a fight with other passengers.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Tuesday June 14, 2011 – A married UK couple and an elderly relative who started a fight on a plane to Barbados last week, will never be able to travel on Virgin Atlantic again.

The airline has imposed a lifetime ban on Martin and Zoe King and the woman’s 76-year-old father Derek Edmond. That action comes on top the BDS$7,500 (US$3,750) fine each of them was slapped with when they appeared in court in Barbados to answer charges stemming from the mid-air brawl.

“These passengers will now be banned from Virgin Atlantic flights,” an airline spokesperson said.

Although the tourists were allowed to continue their vacation in Barbados, Virgin Atlantic has refused to fly them home and advised them to “make their own arrangements back to Britain”.

The fight took place last Thursday, at 30,000 feet in the air, at the back of the VS29 flight from London Gatwick to Barbados. According to reports from passengers and police who took statements, the three became loud as they were drinking and celebrating Zoe’s birthday. A Danish family sitting in front of them voiced their displeasure and the three then began throwing punches and even hot coffee, and hurling obscenities.

The flight crew eventually broke up the fight and the pilot then radioed for police to meet the plane at the airport.

The three were arrested when they disembarked at the Grantley Adams International Airport and taken before the court the following day where they admitted to their disruptive behaviour on the flight.

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