A drunken easyJet passenger gave a Nazi salute, assaulted a pilot and tried to hijack an airport vehicle after a row with cabin crew.
Paul Anthony Burgoyne, 51, reacted angrily when stewards requested that he open the window blind as the flight was preparing to leave Belfast International airport.
He raised his arm with a straightened hand and shouted: “Alright mein Führer”.
He was jailed for three months by Antrim magistrates in Northern Ireland but is appealing against the sentence and was bailed, The Times reported.
His outburst prompted the captain to decide that Burgoyne, from Shepshed, Leicestershire, was unfit to board the Birmingham-bound flight, the court was told.
He continued to be aggressive, shouting and swearing at the pilot and crew. He then tried to grab the captain by the throat, catching him by the collar and broke his £600 watch.
After being ejected, Burgoyne then kicked a tug vehicle, which was still attached to the aircraft and managed to get inside and grab the steering wheel.
He then squared up to another member of staff before being arrested on February 11, the court heard.
Burgoyne pleaded guilty to nine offences, including common assault and recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft. He was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £600 to the plane’s captain.
Judge Nigel Broderick hoped the sentence would act as a warning to any others engaged in such behaviour.
Neil Moore, defending, said “alcohol, other illicit substances and fractious and toxic family relationships” had led to the incident, which he described as “an explosion of anger”.
He conceded that “obviously his behaviour on that plane is disgraceful“.