London - A fashion stylist who claims BA cabin crew strapped her to a plane seat and handcuffed her after an argument with a fellow passenger has been banned for life by the airline.
Bridget Nhire, 33, said the row broke out at 30 000ft when another customer complained that she was getting up too frequently to stretch her legs.
She added that she had been following medical advice to decrease the risk of developing deep-vein thrombosis by moving around during the seven-hour flight from Heathrow to Dubai.
When a fellow passenger objected, she said staff told her she was drunk and asked her to move to the front of the aircraft, where they strapped her to a seat and handcuffed her.
The airline did not allow her on to a return flight earlier this month, and she said she has now been told she is banned for life from flying with British Airways.
“I was treated like a terrorist – it was humiliating,” said Miss Nhire, of Uxbridge, Middlesex.
“I was sat down and they put tight handcuffs on my wrists and strapped me to the chair. I had bruises for weeks.”
The row took place as the 5ft 3in stylist, who works for the high street clothing chain Reiss, flew out to visit friends.
The frequent flier said she was shocked when the man in his 40s began arguing with her.
“I only got up three times, but the guy behind me was complaining and asked me why I kept getting up,” Miss Nhire added. “I said I have a right to get up and walk around, but it escalated into a heated debate. The crew asked me to move to the front and said I was being aggressive.”
She claimed crew members alleged that she may have been drinking, adding: “I had two glasses of wine with my meal, but was not drunk.
“They strapped me to the seat and put me in plastic cuffs. I have bruises.”
Miss Nhire had to sit with a security guard for 90 minutes until the plane landed. Police were waiting for her at Dubai International Airport and escorted her from the plane.
She was freed without charge five hours later.
“When the police released me from the handcuffs, I just broke down,” she said.
BA launched an inquiry into the incident, gathering statements from passengers and crew before deciding they would ban Miss Nhire for life.
She said she was stranded in Dubai when she was unable to get on her return flight home. Her mother booked her an alternative flight 11 hours later.
Miss Nhire, who wants BA to pay her £350 (about R7 300) compensation, said: “Nobody listened to my side.
“You cannot leave people stranded at foreign airports. Someone has messed up. BA should be held accountable.”
It is not known how many people have been banned from flying with BA in the past, but it is believed that lifetime bans are rare.
In 2008 supermodel Naomi Campbell was banned from flying with the airline after she ranted at staff and assaulted police officers as they tried to remove her from a flight. However, the ban was lifted after five years.
BA said: “We never comment on individual customers.
“Our customers and crew deserve to enjoy their flights, and not suffer from any form of disruption.
“This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated, and the appropriate action will always be taken.”
A spokesperson added: “We would never issue a lifetime ban without first carrying out a thorough investigation into an incident, which includes taking witness statements from other customers and reports from crew.
“If a customer has any future bookings with the airline at the time the ban is imposed, we will issue a refund.
“As detailed in the letter issuing the ban, customers can appeal the decision.”
Daily Mail