Kensington woman bit pilot after being told she couldn’t take buggy in plane cabin

A mother who assaulted and bit a pilot in a row over her three-year-old child’s buggy has been given a suspended sentence and fined £2,500.

Henrietta Mitaiare, 23, from Kensington, was travelling from Zurich to London Heathrow on a Swiss Air flight on May 2 last year.

On boarding the plane, Mitaiare was told that the buggy for her three-year-old could not be brought on the aircraft and needed to be placed in the hold.

She took exception to this, but was calmed down and it was put in the hold.

Cabin crew discussed the incident with the captain and they took the decision to allow her to fly.

On departing the plane at Heathrow, Mitaiare continued the argument and began shouting at the cabin manager. She claimed she was live-streaming via her phone via Facebook.

The captain made requests for them to leave the aircraft, but she refused and then pushed him towards the cockpit.

Once inside the cockpit, Mitaiare attacked and bit the captain.

She was convicted of common assault at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with a six-month curfew order between 7pm and 7am.

She was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the victim and £1,500 costs.

Arlene De Silva, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a shocking attack on a pilot.

“This was all brought about because Mitaiare took exception to a request, in line with the airline’s policy, that the child’s buggy be placed in the hold.

“The onslaught that the captain faced in a confined space was unprovoked and not, as she claimed, in self-defence.

“We hope this successful prosecution demonstrates that those who attack staff or commit violence on aircraft will be prosecuted by the CPS and be held to account for their actions.”

Pictured top: Heathrow airport