I used to get scared on planes. The lightest turbulence set off visions of impending carnage, palpitations and sweats. It was nuts. But one day I realised that getting flustered would not change fate. Try telling that to this guy freaking out on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to London last month. We spoke to someone who was sat right by him…

What happened?
“Jay” I think his name was. He started acting up about five hours into the eight-hour flight

How long was he like that for?
He went off on fifteen-minute spurts of rage for the remainder of the journey.

Three hours of blind panic in an enclosed space at a high altitude? That must’ve sucked.
Some of the attendants and volunteer passengers would occasionally calm him down. But then he would revert back into a panic state.

Was everybody else on the plane scared?
More annoyed than scared.

I’ll bet. When you landed was he dragged away kicking and screaming by the cops?
No. He was calm for the landing and then the police came to question him.

Then what happened?
I had to leave but I did see the police officer take out his handcuffs. I don’t know what happened to him. I hear that he didn’t get charged.

DOM TUNON