Family fined after starting a mile-high mass brawl on a flight to Barbados (From Your Local Guardian)

Coulsdon Family fined after starting a mile-high mass brawl on a flight to Barbados

4:09pm Saturday 11th June 2011 in Croydon By Kirsty Whalley

A family from Coulsdon were arrested in Barbados after being accused of starting a mass brawl on a Virgin Atlantic flight.

Derek Edmond, 76, and his daughter Zoe King and her husband Martin were fined £2,300 after admitting their part in the brawl which took place at 30,000ft towards the end of an eight hour flight from Gatwick Airport.

Police said the family were celebrating Mrs King's 46th birthday and appeared to have been drinking for most of the night.

The fight started when a Danish family complained about them being too noisy.

Witnesses allege Mr King, 49, and his wife were involved in a punch up with the family sitting in front of them, throwing hot coffee on them.

Members of the cabin crew tried to intervene but took up to half an hour to subdue the fight.

Elsa Brandford, 70, told the Daily Mail: "It was unbelievable, it was like something out of a movie. I saw a woman shout, 'You swore in front of my child'. She said it about six times, each time louder than the last one. She said, 'And it’s my birthday'.

"I heard more and more voices getting involved. There was about five minutes of shouting while people gathered around and before I knew it they were throwing punches and jumping on each other."

The pilot ordered all the passengers to remain in their seats and radioed ahead to ask police to meet the flight as it landed on the Caribbean island.

The Kings and Mr Edmond were among 10 people arrested as the flight landed at Grantley Adams Airport.

The other passengers and the crew involved have been released on bail.

The Kings, from Coulsdon and Mr Edmond, from Woodhall Spa, Lincs pleaded guilty to one count each of causing a disruption on a plane.

They faced a possible two years in prison but managed to escape with a fine.

They have been banned from all Virgin Atlantic flights and, although they have been allowed to continue their holiday, they will have to find their own way home.

A spokeswoman from Virgin Atlantic said: "Virgin Atlantic can confirm that flight VS29 from London Gatwick to Barbados on Thursday June 9 was met by police due to passengers behaving in a disruptive manner. The Boeing 747-400 was carrying 229 passengers plus 16 crew.

"Following police investigations three of these passengers have been fined, these passengers will now be banned from Virgin Atlantic flights.

"The safety and welfare of our crew and passengers is Virgin Atlantic's top priority and at no point was the safety or security of the aircraft compromised."