THE Jet2 passenger who was kicked off a flight when she tried to open the plane’s door said she tried to kill herself after she was arrested. Catherine Bush who allegedly yelled at cabin crew and slapped passengers during the flight to Antalya, Turkey sent an apology e-mail to the airline. Catherine whose drunken outburst […]
THE Jet2 passenger who was kicked off a flight when she tried to open the plane’s door said she tried to kill herself after she was arrested.
Catherine Bush who allegedly yelled at cabin crew and slapped passengers during the flight to Antalya, Turkey sent an apology e-mail to the airline.
Catherine whose drunken outburst forced the plane to land in Vienna, Austria, was fined £5,000 and banned for life by Jet2.
She has now shared with Yorkshire Live a letter she sent to the airline apologising for her behaviour and blaming extreme nerves ahead of her first solo flight.
Catherine said she was left “embarrassed “and attempted to take her own life following the incident.
She said she was then taken to a psychiatric clinic, where she was told she suffered a “psychotic episode.”.
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The letter reads: “When I was removed from the aircraft and released by the Austrian authorities I sadly tried to commit suicide and was stopped by Austrian police who then took me to a psychiatric ward in Vienna.
“I was strapped down to the bed by my arms and legs and given strong sedatives because I was so hysterical, and a danger to myself and others.
“I was there just over a day before I was allowed out of my restraints.
“The psychiatric nurse told me I had, had a psychotic episode.
“I have experienced psychosis before due to my mental health and it was very scary and confusing for me.
“There will never be an excuse to justify what happened and I wholeheartedly hold my hands up and take full responsibility for my actions.
“I know it is no excuse, but I do suffer with severe mental health issues, I have anxiety, depression and a personality disorder.
“I would like to reiterate that this will never justify my actions on board that aircraft but I felt I had to let you know how difficult it is for me to do the most simple of tasks, things ordinary people take for granted.
“I am again feeling suicidal and overwhelmed by the whole situation.
“I am so embarrassed and ashamed with myself it’s becoming too much to bear but at least I’m in good hands with some friends here, who are making me feel a bit better about the whole situation.
“Again I apologise from the bottom of my heart that I caused so many people distress.”
Catherine, who was flying from Manchester to get £3,000 teeth whitening, in Turkey previously apologised for her mid-air tantrum and said: “I am so ashamed of myself. There will never be an excuse to justify what happened and I take full responsibility for my actions.
“I took alcohol on board the aircraft when I knew I shouldn’t have. I became so intoxicated I couldn’t control myself.
“I struggle to control myself the majority of the time so alcohol intensified this massively.”
Cabin crew confiscated the booze from her during the flight and she said she got increasingly angry when she was denied more food and water.
Catherine, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, added: “All the passengers were focused on me and my behaviour which made the situation worse.
“I just wanted to get out of the situation and there was nowhere to go.
“The whole situation was very distressing for me, causing me to behave erratically and out of character.”
She said severe mental health issues make it difficult to regulate herself and she travelled without her medication.
Catherine also denied trying to open the plane door or physically hurting anyone, and said staff escalated the situation when they manhandled her because she had been in an abusive relationship.
Shocking footage shows the blonde pacing up and down the cabin before shouting at crew members.
She is heard repeatedly bellowing: “What have I done wrong on this flight?”
The woman then continues to yell at Jet2 team members and squares up to a stewardess trying to calm the situation.
A member of the crew is seen in the footage telling her to “stand back” to which the irate woman replies: “I am back. Sort your head out you.”
The airline worker then tells her: “You are not doing yourself any favours.”
But the unruly passenger hit back: “You’re not doing yourself any favours either.
“So what have I done? Don’t touch me, don’t f***ing touch me!”
Fellow passenger Samantha Fearon said Catherine tried to get off the plane in her mid-air row.
She told Yorkshire Live: “She was ragging at the door, saying ‘get me off this f***ing plane – let me off now’.
“It was just so shocking.”
Appalled flyers watched the row unfold just inches from them, with one man seen in the clip shaking his head in disbelief.
The plane departed from Manchester Airport at around 9.15am on Monday for the four-and-a-half-hour flight to Antalya.
But pilots were forced to make an unplanned diversion to Vienna after the woman began her rampage.
Airline Jet2 have since issued a demand for payment and banned her for life for what they described as “a catalogue of aggressive, abusive and dangerous behaviour”.
Managing director of Jet2.com Phil Ward said: “Ms Bush displayed a continued pattern of appalling behaviour on the flight and she must now face up to the consequences of her actions.
“We have always made it abundantly clear that, as a family friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to such behaviour and that we will vigorously pursue any costs incurred as a result of such an incident.
“Although such incidents are very rare, it is unacceptable that our customers and crew have to experience it.
“We would like to apologise to anyone who had to experience this behaviour and we would like to commend our highly-trained crew for their exceptional handling of this difficult situation.”
A spokesman for Jet2.com the firm will “fully support” authorities with any subsequent investigation.
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They added: “As a result of her actions, the crew were left with no choice but to divert the aircraft, which was flying from Manchester to Antalya, to Vienna so that Austrian police could offload Ms Bush.
“This led to a short delay of approximately one hour and the flight continued safely to destination.”
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
