TUI flight TOM664 from Birmingham to Melbourne, Florida, had to divert to Manchester Airport on 24 July 2025 after a drunk passenger left her seat during take-off and exposed herself in the aisle123. The case came before magistrates in Manchester on Tuesday 3 November 202623. The prosecutor put the cost of the diversion to the airline at £20,00021. The 30-year-old woman is due to be sentenced on 1 December 202614.

Photos of the passenger from the court case are published by Manchester Evening News.

What happened on board?

The passenger got up during take-off to go to the toilet, although the pilot had instructed passengers to remain seated12. In the aisle she then pulled down her shorts and underwear in view of other passengers12. Because of her behaviour, the flight had to be diverted to Manchester Airport15.

Prosecutor Edward Downes told the court that she had been intoxicated on the flight. He described her behaviour as dangerous and distressing to passengers, adding that the diversion had caused significant disruption with a financial loss of £20,0002. The court reports do not say how that figure was calculated21.

Which offences did she admit?

Earlier, at Manchester Magistrates' Court, the woman pleaded guilty to outraging public decency, being drunk on an aircraft and failing to comply with the pilot's instructions3. The charge relating to the pilot said she had failed to obey a lawful command to stay in her seat and had instead made her way to the toilet32. When she entered her pleas, District Judge Simon Blakebrough said: "Exposing yourself on a plane full of passengers is quite serious"3.

On 3 November, the prosecutor asked the magistrates to send the case to the Crown Court because their sentencing powers would not be sufficient. The chairman of the bench, Elliot Taylor, agreed2. Sentencing is set for 1 December at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester21. No sentence has been passed yet2.

How UK law backs the pilot in command

Under article 244 of the UK Air Navigation Order 2016, every person on board must obey all lawful commands that the pilot in command gives to secure the safety of the aircraft and the people and property on it6. Breaching article 244 is a summary offence with a fine of up to level 4 on the standard scale, which is £2,500678. Being drunk on an aircraft is prohibited by article 242, which forbids anyone to enter an aircraft when drunk or to be drunk in an aircraft6. The same article bars crew members from being under the influence of drink or a drug to an extent that impairs their capacity to act6. On conviction on indictment, breaching article 242 carries a fine, up to two years in prison, or both67. The order sorts these offences into four penalty bands in Schedule 13, from a summary fine for the least serious to up to five years in prison on indictment for the most serious67. Penalties for outraging public decency range from a fine to imprisonment, depending on the circumstances2.

Article 245 separately covers disruptive behaviour towards crew: using threatening, abusive or insulting words, behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly way, and intentionally interfering with a crew member's duties6. Intentional interference falls into the same penalty band as drunkenness, with up to two years in prison on indictment67. For a closer look at who holds command authority on the flight deck, see our guide to captain, first officer and second officer roles. A recent US case on crew authority is covered in our report on a passenger restrained on American Airlines flight AA618, and more incidents are in our safety news.