A 60 years old Slovakian woman, Edita Kmetova was traveling to Abu Dhabi from Vienna with an Air Berlin flight. She got sick on the plane. After finding the economy toilet was occupied, she made her way to the one in business class one. According to her testimony, despite the objections voiced by business class passengers she entered it because it was an emergency. When she came out, she was confronted by the pilot, several stewardesses and business class passengers. She was handcuffed and pilot made an emergency landing in Erzurum, Turkey.
Erzurum Airport State Airport Night Manager Abubekir Özcan, speaking about the incident to the local press, said that he entered the plane and approached Kmetova, who was crying. He asked for the handcuffs to be removed and took her, against whom the pilot filed a complaint, into custody. After mandatory questioning and checking her record, Kmetova was released because she had no criminal history. Özcan said he asked the pilot to allow the woman, who said she had no money, back onto the plane, but he refused and took off without her. Özcan and the rest of the staff arranged for the woman to stay at a hotel overnight before purchasing a ticket to Abu Dhabi for her.
After her return, Kmetova contacted Slovakian authorities and explained what had happened to her. The authorities, through their honorary council in Mersin, Emir Bozkaya, sent a letter of appreciation to Özcan.
Source: Sabah
