A Florida man who was convicted earlier this week of causing a
liquor-fuelled commotion aboard a transatlantic flight has been released
from a Labrador lockup.
Paul Burns, 47, was released after he arranged to pay a $12,000 fine
imposed during a court hearing on Wednesday.
Burns had pleaded guilty to endangering the safety and security of an
aircraft in flight, in a breach of the Aeronautics Act.
He had been a passenger aboard a Continental Airlines flight between
Oslo, Norway, and Newark, N.J., when — after downing a series of drinks
of vodka — he became so aggressive that airline staff and passengers had
to struggle to restrain him.
The case of air rage triggered an emergency landing at Happy
Valley-Goose Bay, Burns struggled with RCMP officers before they were
able to arrest him.
Burns was booked to depart from Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Friday.