Perfect response. I thought it very amusing that the airline admitted in another article to having tape and nylon tie-wraps available on the airplanes!

Just imagine if this had happened on a Us airline.

They plane would have been diverted, escorted by the US airforce, met by a SWAT team and all the passengers had to suffer.

Glad to see logic over rules knee jerk reaction at last.

I'm also all for it but FWIW, all airlines keep a restraint kit of tie wraps etc on board and have done for years....... in this particular case, I'm surprised they gagged him like that though because if he'd puked he could well have choked...... much better to pile in and get that done than do what a UK airline would do and divert to the nearest airport and inconvenience the rest of the passengers.

A few years ago we were flying from London to Dubai.

There was a passenger in first class who was creating all sorts of nuisance, and the stewardesses were having a hard time keeping him under cotrol.

He was totally drunk.

When I asked what was happening, I was told he was a VIP!?

I went and had a word with him. Basically telling him that unless he behaves, I will make sure he is arrested when he arrives, and I will make sure the local press is present when it happens.

He shut up, and we heard nothing from him.

The captain came over to say thank you.

Hmmmmm.......Are you quite sure you didn't rabbit punch him?

The only thing that would have made that better would have been if his eyes were swollen shut from a brutal beating before being taped to his seat.

Just a little reminder to behave in the future.

Many years ago I helped subdue a passenger that was physically abusing a female flight attendant. They had nylon ties and duct tape to restrain him before landing.

I had an event on a US airline,[American] where a passenger in first class was drunk and abusive when he boarded the flight,, only to get worse as the flight took off when the flight attendent refused to serve him any alcohol and he went off the reservation,, cursing, threatening to sue, gonna get everybody fired, etc. I had about all I could tolerate and the flight crew was very professional but we were going to be diverted to the nearest city etc, that was the last straw. I got in his face,, and he was a pretty good size fellow,, I told him I didn't know how many people it was going to take to whip his ass and teach him to behave but I knew one thing for sure and that I was going to be one of them and that I was going to enjoy it, fellow passengers spoke up and were saying things like ,, count me in!, add me to that list, etc.,,, he shut up and we made it to our destination,, when we landed the air marshalls were there to meet us and he left the plane first in handcuffs with everybody clapping and cheering,,,,,

A few yrs. ago I was on a flight from Baltimore/DC that had 3 very lg. men, possibly wrestlers or weight lifters that boarded the plane quite drunk. They were crude, rude & socially unacceptable.
We thought it was going to be a tough trip.
As soon as the plave leveled out, they went to snoring.
Thank you Lord!