Architect Convicted of Assaulting Flight Attendant on Virgin Atlantic Flight
A woman who verbally abused and physically assaulted a flight attendant on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai has been convicted in her absence and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.
An architect has been convicted of multiple charges after a drunken altercation with a flight attendant on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai to London Heathrow. Simone de Gale, 44, was found guilty in her absence at Ealing Magistrates' Court on four charges, including behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting, or disorderly manner towards a member of crew, being drunk on an aircraft, and assaulting flight attendant Sarah Jane Buckland by beating.
A warrant has been issued for de Gale's arrest. Her personal assistant informed the court that she has been stranded in Dubai since September 8 and was due to return to the UK. The incident occurred on February 5 when de Gale was asked to refrain from walking through an aisle where passengers, including a family with a nine-month-old baby, were sleeping.
According to prosecutor Sinan Ors, de Gale became verbally abusive and threatening toward cabin crew. Flight attendant Sarah Jane Buckland testified that when she politely asked de Gale not to cross the aisle, de Gale began shouting, calling her a "f***ing dumb air hostess" and accusing her of racism. Ms. Buckland stated de Gale repeatedly said, "You need to learn your place."
De Gale, who identified herself as an architect and claimed to earn significantly more than the cabin crew, demanded to speak with the captain. She also allegedly grabbed Ms. Buckland's cardigan and pulled her, and jabbed her near the collarbone. Another crew member intervened, and a male crew member, a former police officer, also assisted.
Witnesses in the court described de Gale's behavior as "very loud, boisterous, aggressive," and noted that she was swearing and at times confronting other passengers with her phone camera. She reportedly boasted about her profession and suggested she understood aircraft structures better due to her architectural background.
Upon landing, Heathrow Airport's aviation police observed that de Gale's speech was slurred, her breath smelled of alcohol, and she stumbled when disembarking the aircraft. Although Ms. Buckland was not physically injured, she reported being badly shaken by the incident, stating it has made her more hesitant and aware of potential escalations when interacting with passengers.
De Gale is the founder and chief executive of Simone De Gale Architects and has previously held positions within the Royal Institute of British Architects. She met King Charles with her mother at Buckingham Palace in March of the previous year and was named Architect of the Year at the Women in Construction Awards in 2017.