A United Airlines passenger, Zachary Greear, 34, faced a hefty fine of $10,000 after causing a disturbance on a Newark-bound flight. Greear, an American climate analyst, had mixed Xanax with alcohol in an attempt to soothe his nerves during the flight from Amsterdam. However, the combination led to him losing control and urinating in his seat and the aisle, causing significant disruption.
The incident occurred approximately two hours into the flight, prompting the captain to divert the plane to Dublin. This diversion resulted in the dumping of over $30,000 worth of fuel. Upon landing in Dublin, Greear was arrested by Ireland’s national police, who reported that he was so intoxicated he was unable to comprehend his location.
Greear later appeared in Dublin district court, where he pleaded guilty to charges of intoxication, threatening, abusive or insulting behavior, and causing annoyance onboard an aircraft. These charges fall under Ireland’s Air Navigation and Transport Act. During his court appearance, Greear expressed his deep regret for his actions, stating that he was “horrified and embarrassed.”
Judge Michéle Finan criticized Greear’s behavior as “appalling” and highlighted the distress it caused to the 153 passengers and 13 crew members on board. She questioned the fear and trauma inflicted on the pilot, passengers, and airline employees who had to manage the unexpected diversion.
Despite the severity of Greear’s actions, Judge Finan acknowledged his lack of a criminal record, his sincere apology, and his commitment to donate $5,000 to charitable causes. The court ordered Greear to match his charitable donation to help cover the damages to United Airlines, resulting in a total fine of approximately $10,308.
United Airlines confirmed that Greear was removed from the plane without further incident and the flight continued to Newark later in the day. This incident comes as Ryanair, a Dublin-based airline, is advocating for airport bars to limit the number of drinks served to passengers. This follows a $15,000 lawsuit filed by the company against a disruptive passenger. Ryanair has criticized European governments for their lack of action when disruptive passengers threaten aircraft safety and force diversions.
Currently, there is no federal law limiting the number of drinks that can be served to a passenger in the air. However, crew members are prohibited from serving alcohol to passengers who appear intoxicated.