AN airline passenger endangered the lives of travellers and crew after switching on his mobile phone in mid flight, a court heard.
Fiaz Chopdat, 23, was seen pressing buttons on his Eriksson T28 mobile as the Boeing 747 holiday jet made its way from Luxor to Manchester Airport.
Chopdat, who was alleged to have switched the phone on several times, then became aggressive when asked by other passengers and cabin crew to turn it off, the court was told.
Staff on the Air 2000 flight were so concerned about his behaviour they radioed ahead and Chopdat was arrested on touchdown at Manchester.
At Manchester Crown Court, Chopdat, of Romney Walk, Blackburn, denied recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.
The jury heard Chopdat boarded flight AMA401D on the afternoon of September 10 2001.
Steven Johnson, prosecuting, said when mobile phones were switched on an "inititialisation process" began and the phone began receiving and transmitting radio signals.
Mr Johnson said: "If this occurs it poses an unacceptable risk to safety because the process interferes with the aeroplane's navigational systems."
(Proceeding)
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