A set of twins’ cheap holiday in the sun “didn’t go to plan” when they were thrown off a TUI flight before it even left the runway.
Siblings, Laura and Katie Butterworth had booked a trip to Fuerteventura from Manchester Airport, but all hell broke loose when a booze-fuelled row erupted over baggage.
Laura was “incoherent, volatile and abusive” and Katie was described as “argumentative,” refusing to sit down when asked. The duo, 34 were hauled before a judge for their despicable behaviour that started when Laura became involved in an argument with another passenger when her bag fell into the aisle and spilled its contents onto the floor.
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Laura blamed the woman and called her vile, the Manchester Evening News reports. The sisters then started arguing with each other as the plane was taxiing ready for departure, before the cabin crew manager decided to move Laura to another seat.
(Image: STEVE ALLEN)
The manager said Laura was “completely incoherent and volatile” towards crew members. She said that mum-of-three Katie “constantly” got up from her seat and said she had done nothing wrong.
The manager decided that the plane should be brought back to the terminal where the pair of university graduates were arrested by police.
Appearing before Manchester Crown Court earlier this week, Katie said: “I got blanketed with Laura, they couldn’t tell us apart. They treated us as the same person, everything she did I got equal blame for and I wasn’t the same. I don’t like throwing her into it but it’s not fair, it wasn’t like that.”
Katie of Redhill Drive, Stockport pleaded guilty to intentionally interfering with performance of an aircraft member’s duty, while Laura of Lapwing Lane, Brinnington, pleaded guilty to entering an aircraft when drunk.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Defending Katie, Sarah Hussell said that the defendant had drunk two glasses of wine before getting onboard, but denied that she was “intoxicated.” She said that Katie, who runs a “successful printing business,” had undergone a stressful period before the flight, having to home school her child and agreeing a payment plan for debts.
“The holiday was simply to have an inexpensive break in the sun for a week with her sister, which didn’t go to plan,” Ms Hussell said.
Naomi Duckworth, defending Laura, said the defendant had expressed “deep remorse” for her actions which were “totally out of character.”
She said Laura is currently unemployed but is “working through the recruitment process” for a job with the fire service, adding they are aware of her conviction.
Sentencing, Judge Patrick Field KC told the twins: “Some people think it is acceptable to drink to excess before they get onto an aeroplane, and then inflict their entitled and obnoxious bad behaviour upon fellow passengers and air crew alike. Well it isn’t.
“You are twins, you are both 34-years-old, intelligent and well educated women. You should both have known better than to behave in the way you did.”
The pair were both handed 12 month community orders.
Katie Butterworth was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Laura Butterworth was told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
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