British man fined S$5,000 for verbally abusing Changi Airport staff & kicking aerobridge panel over missing phone

After misplacing his phone, a 57-year-old British man who was on an aircraft poised to depart Changi Airport tried to return to a transit lounge to locate it.

When a traffic liaison officer warned him that he would be offloaded from the flight if he did so, Richard Michael Roll Burridge verbally abused her and kicked a wall panel of the aerobridge on his way back to the flight.

He later found the phone under his seat.

Burridge was fined S$5,000 in court on Mar. 20, The Straits Times and CNA reported.

Got off plane to find phone

Based on court documents cited by ST and CNA, Burridge had boarded a flight from Singapore to London on Mar. 8, but realised he had misplaced his phone at around 11:40pm.

While waiting for others to board, he used another phone to call his wife and asked her to find the missing phone using the Find My Phone app.

According to the app, the device was in a departure transit lounge.

Burridge told an aircraft crew member that he had lost his phone at the lounge, and the staff asked her colleague at the gate hold room to check with a lounge staff if the phone was there.

However, the phone could not be found, and Burridge was informed of this.

Verbally abused airline staff, kicked aerobridge panel

Burridge then got off the flight at about 11:43pm and approached the victim, a traffic liaison officer stationed at a gate hold room at Changi Airport Terminal 3.

As the flight's scheduled departure time was approaching, she advised Burridge that leaving the gate hold room would result in him being offloaded from the flight.

She also reiterated that her colleague, the lounge staff, had not managed to locate the phone there.

Angered by this, Burridge swore at her.

He then returned to the aircraft with the victim accompanying him.

While on the aerobridge, the victim asked Burridge if he wished to continue with the flight or offload himself.

This angered Burridge again and he kicked a wall panel of the aerobridge, breaking it. It later incurred repair costs of S$1,622.51.

After this, the victim's colleague called for police assistance.

Meanwhile, Burridge had re-boarded the aircraft and found the phone under his seat.

However, Burridge was then asked by police officers from the Airport Police Division to get off the plane to assist with investigations, and the flight left without him.

Fined S$5,000

Burridge pleaded guilty to one count of harassment and one count of mischief in court on Mar. 20.

The prosecution sought a fine of between S$4,000 and S$6,000, pointing out that Burridge's remarks were "abusive, insulting and highly disrespectful", CNA reported.

The prosecutor also highlighted that airline staff are entitled to a safe workplace and Burridge's anger at losing his phone "is by no means an excuse for his behaviour".

In mitigation, the defence lawyer said Burridge had acted out of character and is remorseful for his actions, ST reported.

The lawyer added that Burridge intends to pay for the damage.

Burridge was fined S$5,000 on Mar. 20.

Top image from Changi Airport/Facebook & Shin Min Daily News