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British Man Fined S$5,000 for Changi Airport Outburst

 




A British man, Richard Michael Roll Burridge, was fined S$5,000 on March 20 after verbally abusing an airline officer and damaging an aerobridge at Changi Airport. The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of harassment and one count of mischief.

The incident occurred on March 7 at around 11:40 PM when Burridge was on board a Singapore Airlines flight bound for London. As he waited for other passengers to board, he realized he had misplaced his mobile phone. Using another device, he contacted his wife, who used a tracking app to locate the phone within the departure transit lounge.

Burridge informed a crew member about the situation, prompting staff to search for the phone. However, despite efforts by the airline team, it was not found. Frustrated, he decided to leave the plane and personally look for it.

At around 11:43 PM, Burridge approached a traffic liaison officer at Terminal 3’s gate hold room, requesting permission to exit and search for his phone. The officer warned him that if he left, he would be offloaded from the flight as the boarding gate was closing. She also explained that the lounge had already been searched, but the phone was not found.

This response angered Burridge, who began shouting profanities at the officer. The court documents stated that the victim "felt scared and insulted" due to his behavior. Despite the outburst, he was allowed to return to the aircraft with the officer accompanying him.

While walking on the aerobridge, the officer asked Burridge if he wanted to proceed with his flight or offload himself. This further infuriated him, leading him to kick a wall panel on the aerobridge, breaking it. Repairs for the damage cost S$1,622.51.

Seeing the escalating situation, the officer’s colleague called the police. Meanwhile, Burridge reboarded the plane, where he finally found his missing phone—under his seat. However, police officers soon arrived and instructed him to disembark for further investigation. The flight was able to take off without any delay.

During the court hearing, the prosecution sought a fine of between S$4,000 and S$6,000, emphasizing that Changi Airport is a critical transportation hub. Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Jun Ya highlighted the importance of maintaining a safe working environment for airport staff and stated that "airports rely on their staff to ensure that flights leave and arrive on time."

Ms. Tan further noted that the words used by Burridge were "abusive, insulting, and highly disrespectful" and that his anger over the lost phone did not justify his actions. Additionally, the damage to the aerobridge was deemed significant.

However, the prosecution acknowledged that Burridge had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and intended to pay for the damages. As a result, no jail term was imposed.

Burridge was fined S$2,500 for each charge, totaling S$5,000. He paid the fine in full.

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Location: Singapore

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