A Cork man has been bailed to appear at a court in London after being arrested by armed police on board a flight that was to have taken off from Heathrow – bound for Las Vegas.

The man, named in court as Emmet Moynihan, 31 of Mount Vernon, Cork City, is charged with ‘being drunk on an aircraft and disobeying the orders of the captain’. He has been remanded on bail to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court, close to Heathrow, on Wednesday, 26th August.

In footage widely shared on social media, a man is shown in a confrontation with several BA air stewards on board a flight from Heathrow to Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon, August 6th.

One female steward repeatedly tells the man to calm down and return to his seat. The plane had to abort its take-off and return to the terminal, where armed police officers boarded and removed the unruly passenger.

British Airways steward tries to persuade the disruptive passenger to return to his seat(Image: SM)

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told CorkBeo that their officers responded after “reports of a passenger being disruptive on an outbound plane’ at around 5.30 pm on Thursday, August 6.

“The plane returned to the terminal to allow officers to board the plane.”

Identifying a man who has now been charged, the Met spokesperson added: ‘Emmet Moynihan, 31, of Mount Vernon, Cork, Ireland, was charged on Friday, 7 August, with being drunk on an aircraft and disobeying the orders of the captain.

“He has been bailed to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 26 August.”

Emmet Moynihan, aged 31, of Mount Vernon, Cork – is led away by armed police at Heathrow Airport(Image: SM)

One passenger on the flight captured the incident on video and shared it to social media – he said: “Fair play to the air hostess here, because she absolutely held it down,” adding that she deserved a raise for her actions.

The final clip shows a man – now identified as Moynihan – handcuffed and escorted away from the plane at Heathrow Airport by several armed officers.

A spokesperson for British Airways told CorkBeo: “Disruptive or abusive behaviour is never tolerated on board and the safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority.

When these incidents occur, the appropriate action will always be taken.”

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