UPDATE: “You ruined my life” accuses grossly disruptive passenger about video upload

After upload of verbal altercation on Israir flight spreads throughout the Internet, abusive passenger issues insincere apology branded as ‘incomplete & qualified’.

By Amit Cotler

 

Following the online release of a video depicting passengers on an Israir flight screaming and swearing at a flight attendant and threatening him, the two sides have begun to speak out and give their version of events.

The flight attendant, Nir Levov, explained the course of events to Ynet. “The story began long before the video,” he said.
Facebook screenshot (right)

“The other flight passengers complained several times about that group, which was misbehaving and disrupting the normal flight procedure. We decided to stop selling duty-free items because of that, and once we stop selling them – you cannot buy anything.”

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He added that he previously encountered passengers “who feel that they own the flight crew.” However, he said he had never experienced such a severe incident. He further stated that he would personally accept apologies from the passengers who abused him.

The passenger, who asked to remain anonymous, told Ynet that she regretted her behavior. “A mistake was made and we apologized for our part,” she said. Things were said by both sides that were not positive in the heat of the moment, and we all honestly apologized to Israir and the passengers. The trip was ruined, I feel very distressed, and the lesson has been learned.”

[KGVID width=”600″ height=”338″]http://new.israelandstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/The-ugliest-kind-of-Israeli-Passengers-hurl-abuse-at-flight-attendant-facebook.mp4[/KGVID]

Sources close to those involved in the incident called the statement “incomplete and qualified”. Israir’s CEO said the company had begun a thorough investigation of the incident, after some of those involved were interrogated by Varna police at the airport. The company planned to reach a decision soon regarding further action.

The airline did not file a complaint with the police. The other two abusive passengers had not apologized to the airline or its employees.

A video documenting the argument was posted on Facebook on Saturday night after first circulating in different forums of Israeli flight attendants.

After the video was posted on Facebook, several of the flight attendants who uploaded or shared the video received threats from members of the family featured in the video, saying if the video is not removed they will turn to the police to complain about the flight attendants.

Ynet received messages sent by the passenger who started the argument in which she writes to the person who uploaded the video: “You ruined my life.”

 

Itay Blumenthal contributed to this report.

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4629632,00.html