Flight delayed due to a 'menace' passenger

On December 27, Flight KC 890 departed late from Atyrau to Almaty because of a drunken passenger on board.

Crew members removed the man from the board.

Witnesses -- other passengers -- said all 200 people on board were deplaned from Boeing 767 soon after boarding finished, following an incident involving one or three men from business class who were 'threatening the flight.' 

"The delay lasted 45 minutes, said Air Astana's public affairs coordinator Tlek ABDRAKHIMOV. - Plus 20 minutes for the other reason -- food supply lift truck froze over. The plane took off at 01.00 instead of 23.10. The case is being investigated."

- How do you determine a passenger's drunkenness level and potential danger for the others? We asked Bayanbi SMAGULOV, social issues director of Atyrau International Airport JSC.

- The passengers, you have in mind, had successfully passed checking, but when on board they started to behave inadequately swearing aloud. Decision to whether remove a passenger from a flight or not is solely a crew's prerogative. 

By Zulfiya BAINEKEYEVA