A 42-year-old man was sentenced to five weeks’ jail on 14 May 2025 after pleading guilty to boarding a Scoot flight while intoxicated, causing disturbance that jeopardized order and safety on the aircraft.
Kolathu James Leo, an Indian national living in Canberra, had consumed four shots of whiskey before heading to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport for his flight to Singapore on 27 Feb.
Two other charges of criminal force and harassment were taken into consideration for sentencing.
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Passenger’s Unruly Behavior Led to Physical Restraint During Sydney-Singapore Flight
Leo was traveling to India via Singapore after receiving news of his uncle’s passing.
Shortly after take-off, he got up from his seat while the seatbelt sign was still on, but complied when crew members asked him to return to his seat.
His behavior quickly escalated as he began shouting at neighboring passengers and repeatedly pushed one of them.
Leo also attempted to detach a seat pocket and slammed the seat in front of him.
When cabin crew handed him a warning letter from the pilot, Leo crumpled it without reading.
The situation worsened when Leo grabbed a flight attendant’s wrist and threatened to kill him.
To prevent further escalation, crew members placed Leo under physical restraints on orders from the pilot.
The three passengers affected by Leo’s behavior were moved to other seats during the flight.
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Upon landing at Changi Airport, Leo was arrested, and a blood test revealed he had 96mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood.
Court Ruling Emphasizes Vulnerability of Airline Staff and Passengers
District Judge Janet Wang described the incident as a clear case of “air rage” during sentencing.
She ruled that Leo’s conduct had significantly threatened the safety of passengers and crew on board the plane.
The judge emphasized that high standards of safety must be maintained during air travel.
Wang noted that airline staff are particularly vulnerable victims, as it is difficult to get immediate assistance from law enforcement officers while in mid-flight.
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For his sentencing, the judge took into account that Leo persisted in his violent behavior despite warnings.
The five-week jail sentence exceeded what both the prosecution and defense had asked for – four weeks’ and three weeks’ jail, respectively.
Under the Singapore Air Navigation Act, a person convicted of this offence can be imprisoned for up to a year, fined up to S$20,000, or both.
For criminal force, the maximum penalty is up to three months in jail, a fine up to S$1,500, or both.
For harassment, offenders can be jailed up to six months, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
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