Zachary Greear, a passenger on a transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to New York, found himself under arrest at Dublin Airport after his unruly behavior forced the plane to divert. The incident occurred after Greear mixed Xanax with alcohol in an attempt to manage his anxiety while flying. His actions, which included urinating in his seat and the aisle, led to a series of charges under Ireland’s Air Navigation and Transport Act.
Greear pleaded guilty to three offenses: intoxication, threatening, abusive or insulting behavior, and causing annoyance onboard the aircraft. The flight, which had been airborne for two hours, was compelled to dump €30,000 worth of fuel over Donegal before making an emergency landing in Dublin. Upon arrest, Greear was so intoxicated that he was unable to comprehend his location.
The court heard that Greear expressed deep remorse for his conduct. He described himself as "horrified and embarrassed" and extended a "most sincere apology" for the disruption caused. Furthermore, Greear offered to pay €10,000 (£8,435) towards the damages incurred due to his actions—a gesture that fell short of the total impact.
"doesn't even touch the damage that this man has caused"
Justice Finan
Justice Finan presided over the case and issued a stern reprimand of Greear's behavior. Despite describing it as "appalling," the judge opted to suspend Greear's jail sentence for two years, possibly in light of his apparent remorse and readiness to make reparations.
"the judge said."
Justice Finan