52-year-old Keran Nair was removed from an Air New Zealand flight on Saturday after he abused a flight attendant and frustrated other passengers, reported.
Nair boarded the Air New Zealand flight from Marlborough Airport scheduled to fly to Auckland on Saturday, when a flight attendant requested him to stow his backpack under the seat.
A police summary of facts stated that when the flight attendant asked Nair to do so, he told her to do it herself.
The second time she asked him to do it, Nair slapped her hand away and told her to go away and leave him alone.
The flight attendant again requested him to put the bag under the seat in front of him but Nair kept refusing, the summary said.
When other passengers budged in and told Nair that he was holding up the flight, Nair asked them to shut up.
The flight attendant finally called the captain when children in the flight got scared as Nair became increasingly aggressive, the summary said.
Nair was removed from the flight and taken to the airport building. But he continued to be abusive towards the airport staff till police arrived.
The officer reported he could smell alcohol on Nair.
Nair was charged with failing to comply with the instructions of an Air New Zealand staff member, a fine-only offence, and with disorderly behaviour.
He was released on bail to appear at the Blenheim District Court on Monday, but when he did not appear, he was arrested on Monday night and held in custody.
Nair then appeared in court on Tuesday.
reported the court proceedings where Judge Ian Mill said Nair had no previous convictions.
"I'm surprised after so many years of obviously law-abiding behaviour you would behave in this way. Obviously you were drunk and particularly offensive, but there's no excuse for this."
Nair was convicted and sentenced to pay a total fine of $1500.
