Passenger faces jail for writing on seat of Heathrow-bound flight
A passenger who was unhappy with the business class service on his Qatar Airways flight to Heathrow could be jailed after writing ‘death to Allah’ on his seat armrest.
Joseph Breslin, aged 36, allegedly scrawled the words after becoming tired and irritable.
He then wrote a note on a napkin, attacking Muslims wearing headscarves and dropped it between two passengers after the plane landed in London.
Isleworth Crown Court heard Breslin, the landlord of a south London pub, believed one of the passengers had been deliberately spraying perfume to annoy him.
The note, written in English, was translated to the passengers who were left ‘frightened and terrified’, according to prosecutor Bill McGivern.
Breslin was arrested following complaints to staff as he disembarked from the flight on July 8.
His defence said the incident was out of character, but Breslin pleaded guilty to two charges of religiously aggravated harassment and a count of religiously aggravated criminal damage.
He was released on bail until sentencing on October 31, at which, the judge warned, he is likely to be given a prison sentence.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025