A British air hostess has admitted attempting to pass through security at London’s Heathrow Airport while more than 12 times over the legal alcohol limit, and a separate human-interest story saw broadcaster Myleene Klass break down as she prepared to send her eldest child to university.
Jessica Kostakopoulou, 43, pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court to carrying out an activity ancillary to an aviation function after being stopped by security at Terminal 2 on March 22. Prosecutor Reem Khatib told the court the defendant "appeared unsteady on her feet and slurred her words" and that breathalyser tests later recorded 254 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; the legal limit is 20 milligrams.
Kostakopoulou, who had worked for the carrier since October of the previous year and has more than 20 years in aviation, told the court she had not been drinking when stopped. The defence, led by Amber Pierce, said the defendant was not a supervisor on the flight she intended to board and that there was "no direct harm" caused as a result of her actions. Court records state she resigned from her role immediately after the incident.
Magistrates imposed a fine of £623, which includes a victim surcharge and legal costs, to be paid in monthly instalments. The bench said it found her remorse to be "genuine." Addressing the court, Kostakopoulou said: "I feel very ashamed and embarrassed about everything that happened. I'm trying to amend my ways now and start a new job. I'm very sorry."
The offence relates to UK aviation safety regulations that restrict alcohol consumption by staff performing duties connected to flights. Police were called to the terminal after security raised concerns about the crew member’s condition. The case was dealt with in the magistrates’ court, which handles lower-level criminal matters and summary offences.
In a separate story from the UK media, television presenter and musician Myleene Klass posted an emotional Instagram video as she prepared to send her eldest daughter, Ava, 18, to university. Klass, 47, said she had begun crying in an optician’s office after being asked how many children she had and their ages; the question, she said, reminded her that Ava would be leaving home for three years.
Klass said in the video that she had tried not to cry in front of Ava but had nevertheless become tearful in public and while packing and organising her daughter’s room. She described the moment as "bittersweet," saying she was proud of Ava but struggling with the prospect of separation.
Klass, who shares daughters Ava and Hero, 14, with her ex-husband Graham Quinn and a son, Apollo, six, with her fiancé Simon Motson, has previously spoken publicly about her children’s achievements. She said Ava recently received strong A-level results and has musical training, including time at the Royal Academy of Music. Klass has sometimes addressed public commentary about "nepo baby" accusations—suggestions that children of celebrities have unfair advantages—saying her children have worked and auditioned for their opportunities.
The presenter has also in recent months discussed the end of her marriage to Quinn, saying she had once found him with another well-known individual; she has not named that person. Klass has framed her parenting around encouraging work ethic and independence, saying her children have undertaken weekend jobs and formal musical study.
Both stories received coverage in UK outlets on Tuesday. The court handling Kostakopoulou’s case imposed a monetary penalty and ordered payment over time in light of the defendant’s expression of remorse, while Klass’s account of preparing to send a child to university reflects public interest in the personal lives of media figures and the emotional side of family transitions.