EXETER — Don’t ever stand in the way between a man and his bacon.
This was a hard lesson learned by the flight crew on a TUI flight from Palma to Exeter in April during which a male passenger threw a hissy fit over a bacon sandwich.
Ronald James, 68, reportedly left a cabin crew member in tears and poked them with his finger after being told there was no hot food available on the flight. Prior to boarding, he had promised his granddaughter a bacon sandwich onboard, but to his dismay learned that none were being served.
He then grudgingly bought beef burgers, which he said were “poor quality” and “dried out”, and was eventually given a refund.
But James just couldn’t get that succulent bacon out of his mind. He then demanded to see the captain and became extremely agitated when told he could not go up to the cockpit.
Prosecutor Lyndsey Baker told the Court that at one point, James’ face was just two inches from the face of a female crew member, leaving her in tears.
“He shouted and pointed at the cabin crew, poking staff with his finger and refused to sit down when landing,” said Baker.
James admitted to behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner and was ordered to pay £50 compensation each to two flight crew members, in addition to a £30 surcharge and £85 in prosecution charges.
James, who represented himself in Court, said, “I was not a happy customer. I wish I had not been on the plane and I wish it had not run out of food.”
We bet he also wishes he had kept his ‘hangry’ feelings to himself and had the foresight to pack his own bacon for the flight.