British tourist jailed after drunken row at Dubai Airport

Airline passenger sentenced to three months in prison and fined Dh2,000

A British airline passenger who verbally abused check-in staff after drinking for four hours before his flight to the UK has been sentenced to three months in jail.

The 37-year-old was also fined Dh2,000 after being found guilty of insulting a policeman and Emirates airline employees during the incident in July.

Officers charged the man with a total of eight counts, including making threats, assaulting an officer and consuming alcohol.

In court last month he admitted drinking but denied the other charges, saying he could not remember anything that took place.

“He started threatening me saying that he was a British citizen and could have me fired and sent back home,” one Emirates employee told Dubai Criminal Court.

“Then he used his mobile phone to take videos of what was happening which unnerved the passengers.”

The incident happened on July 14 as the Briton, who was not named, prepared to fly home.

The dispute arose shortly after the tourist handed over his passport to check-in staff and complained they were taking too long.

“I approached him and identified myself only to be insulted too,” said the police officer called to deal with the incident.

The officer said the traveller also deliberately stepped on his foot, shoved him and threatened to get him fired.

During police questioning, the tourist admitted drinking for four hours in his hotel room before making his way to the airport.

“I was drunk at the time and I can’t remember any of what happened,” he told the court hearing.

The man will be deported after serving his prison sentence.