Woman 'bites' Swiss International Airlines pilot, mother joins brutal cockpit battle

The fight broke out in the cockpit on a Swiss International Airlines flight. Stock photo / 123RF

A mother and her 23-year-old daughter are accused of attacking a Swiss International Airlines pilot, battering him in his cockpit.

Henrietta Mitaiare and her mother Mary Roberts, 53, appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates court in connection with the brawl at the passenger plane's controls.

The pair had been trying to make a complaint to the cabin staff when things got nasty.

"It was like a battlefield, there were shoes on the floor and some buttons," the plane's co-pilot Friederich Preiler told the court. Competing pre-flight checks in the cabin, Preiler was witness to the onslaught:

"I saw some hair and two telephones. I saw blood on the captain's neck. I saw that he had scratches."

"I saw that the pilot's shirt was full of blood. I saw on the hand that there was more blood."

Mitaiare allegedly bit Captain Guido Keel on the arm, after accusing him of racist behaviour.

The UK nationals were returning home from a holiday in Switzerland, when they got into a disagreement with Zurich airport staff. Having been told to check the buggy, Mitaiare refused saying the pram was "too expensive", the court heard.

It was not until landing at London's Heathrow Airport that the tussle broke out in earnest. According to Ali Chkerdaa the flight purser, he was approached by the women after landing, where they asked to make a complaint about the ground staff in Zurich.

Pilot Keel came out of the cockpit, to see what was going, when he was promptly told by Mitaiare that he had "nothing to do with it" and was set upon by the angry passenger.
Roberts was reported to have got involved in the tussle, saying "get off my baby" as she pushed past the purser.

Chkerdaa told the court he was also bitten on the hand.

The moment he touched her she went all crazy, 'don't touch me.'

The purser for Swiss appeared in court, wearing his uniform, to testify:

"It was a back and forth – 'give me the name, give me the name'.

"I thought, OK, I'm the flight manager I will give her the business card – 'If you have a problem or you are not happy you can contact Swiss and they will know exactly who was on this flight on the ground'.

"She didn't accept my business card. Then the captain came beside me and said 'you have already the name of the person if there is a problem you can write to Swiss.'

"She said 'Sorry you have nothing to do with it, stay away.'

"She said 'Swiss people are racist' – it's because she is a black woman travelling with a child.

"I think she was holding the phone with one hand and the captain said 'OK, we'll have to stop it. Could you please step outside.'

"The moment he touched her she went all crazy, 'don't touch me.'

"I don't know if he touched her, but he put his had towards this side between her arm and shoulder."

I saw that the pilot's shirt was full of blood.

It was at this point Chkerdaa said the fight broke out between the pilot and passenger
"She was going to the face, because she is shorter, and the neck with one hand and the other hand was holding the phone," he said.

"He was laying on his back and she is not on top of him but on the side and he was pushing her away with his hand.

"The mother pushed me to the side and went inside saying 'leave my baby alone.' She was kicking, with the feet. One foot maybe.

"They were both on the floor but I think she was trying to kick the captain.

"There was ground staff from London, I asked him to help me so we could pull her out but we couldn't."

"I couldn't pull her out so I asked him to call the police and in the meantime there was a woman working as ground staff and she came to help me," he said.

"When they were fighting she [Roberts] bit me on my finger but we were able to pull the jacket on top of her head. Because we could not pull her out from the cockpit."

The brawl was not broken up until airport police intervened. However, both passengers Roberts and Mitaiare both deny charges of assault against the pilot.

The trial is set to continue.