A veterinary nurse was called ‘every passenger’s worst nightmare’ after she downed a bottle of vodka, swore and caused chaos on a flight from Manchester airport.
She has now been told she is allowed back to work, following a trial.
Katherine Heyes from Wigan faced a disciplinary hearing after she was caught 'screaming and swearing at everyone' – including her own three-year-old child – during the Thomas Cook flight to Turkey.
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After this first happened in July 2020, the then 29-year-old was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work after she admitted to entering an aircraft when drunk. She recently had a work hearing by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons disciplinary committee.
Despite ‘disgraceful conduct’, the body has rules that she should not be struck off or suspended, reports Manchester Evening News.
The committee heard Ms Heyes was described by a fellow passenger as 'bordering on manic' and had to be restrained by her friends. Ms Heyes had also been travelling with a three-year-old child who she shouted and swore at 'aggressively,' causing the child to become upset and cry.
The hearing was told she had only 'one pint of lager' before boarding the flight for the all-girls trip. Ms Heyes said that while on the flight to Antalya she drank some vodka that had been poured into a cup for her by a friend.
The crew also found a 'full size' empty bottle of vodka near the veterinary nurse's feet. Another passenger became particularly concerned about the way Ms Heyes was behaving towards the child who was with her on the flight and alerted the cabin crew, the hearing was told.
The cabin crew then decided to take the child to the back of the aeroplane, and Ms Heyes' behaviour 'deteriorated,' the committee heard. A fellow passenger said: "One minute she had her head in her hands and was crying; the next minute she was flailing her arms around and was laughing. This went on for some time."
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A 'chaotic' atmosphere ensued with passengers shouting that they wanted the plane to be diverted so Ms Heyes could be removed from the flight, the committee heard. The captain decided against diverting the flight because they were only 40 minutes from their destination. Turkish police met the flight when it arrived but Ms Heyes was not detained.
Ms Heyes told the committee she was 'ashamed and remorseful' about the events which had led to her conviction. She added that the cabin crew member had been aggressive and had taken away the child, which caused her to shout, which would have happened whether or not she had been drinking.
The panel concluded: "Whilst the charge was not so serious as to require suspension or removal from the register, the Committee decided it is necessary to issue a formal warning to Ms Heyes as to her future conduct."
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