A Russian passenger onboard British Airways flight BA9 on January 21 from London Heathrow to Bangkok became “very aggressive” after drinking his own duty free whiskey and additional drinks served by flight attendants.

Video shows passengers taking him down. The plane didn’t divert despite a couple of hours to go on the flight. One man reported a business class upgrade, though, on the way back as a reward for his heroism.

Shocking mobile phone footage shows eight men and two women grapple with the thug, while cabin crew fetch handcuffs and straight-jacket style body straps.

They eventually subdue the aggressor and hold him down in his seat for the remaining two hours of the flight.

…The chef, 47, from Darlington, bundled the man into his seat after being attacked while waiting for the toilet.

He said: ”I was standing near his seat waiting for the lavatory when he came behind me and he hit me in the back and started pushing me.

The shocking thing here is that British Airways didn’t divert the flight while this was occurring.

Here’s video of the incident:

Here’s maybe the strangest part of the story: while Thai police boarded the flight on arrival, they “said they couldn’t arrest the man until he was on the tarmac. Passengers and cabin crew were then forced to bundle the passenger off the plane before cops took him away.”

Ultimately, though not reported, one imagines the man skipped over the yellow card stage and received a full ban from British Airways.

Simon Johnson, one of the passengers who tackled the drunk Russian passenger, reported receiving THB2000 (~ US$57) and an upgrade to business class for his Bangkok – London return flight as compensation.

British Airways Boeing 777 Business Class

It seems to me he deserved an upgrade to first class, though I suppose he should be happy British Airways didn’t enforce a “one cabin upgrade” to premium economy only rule!