Man fined for being drunk on SIA flight, believed to be the first such case here

An American passenger was yesterday fined $2,000 for being drunk on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight. He is the first person here to be charged solely for being drunk, without also behaving in a disorderly manner, reported the Straits Times.

According to the report, Mr Michael David Mitchell, 41, was intoxicated while on a flight from Dubai to Singapore in the early hours of Feb 9. He told the court that he took a sleeping pill after drinking three glasses of wine as he needed to get some rest.

He claimed that he could not remember what happened after that.

A complaint was made at about 7am that morning to the Singapore airport police and he was arrested upon his arrival at Terminal 2.

Under the Air Navigation Order, he could have been fined up to $20,000 for entering an aircraft when drunk or being drunk on board.

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