TWO Northern Tasmanian men have denied air raging at cabin crew on a Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne to Launceston after they failed to receive hot drinks.
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Co-accused Jacob Adam Williams, 23, of Bracknell, and Mathew Leigh Coates, 26, of Prospect, pleaded not guilty in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to offensive and disorderly behaviour in an aircraft.
The allegation arose about noon on February 21, 2014 on-board Virgin Australia flight 1368.
The Commonwealth has accused the men of having used obscene language and having harassed, abused, threatened and intimidated crew members, and having used offensive language towards crew members.
Commonwealth prosecutor Megan Hickton called Virgin Australia cabin crew member Emma Solomon to give evidence via video-link from Sydney.
Ms Solomon said she was one of four cabin crew members on that flight, which was full and had a lot of elderly passengers on-board.
She said the first incident she recalled was while she was securing the cabin for take-off and her colleague asked two male passengers to turn their mobile phones off.
Ms Solomon said she encountered the men during service.
"I asked the three gentlemen whether they wanted anything to eat or drink and they asked for hot drinks, coffee or tea," she said.
"And I said we are not serving any more hot drinks due to turbulence and the short time... [we were] landing soon."
Ms Solomon said one of the men said, "F--- hell, f--- that's ridiculous, well we want free Cokes".
"I said that would be $12 and they said f--- ridiculous, f--- hell, we are not paying, we are going to write a report on you," she added.
Ms Solomon said her response was "please do" and she left their row.
She said that when the aeroplane was "well into descent" the men yelled out, demanded cold drinks from one of her colleagues and one man looked like he was about to get out of his seat.
Defence solicitor Evan Hughes, during cross-examination, asked Ms Solomon if she thought the reference to a report being made meant that the passenger would complain about her to Virgin Australia.
"That is correct," the witness replied.
"I personally took it as a threat, an intimidating threat."
Mr Hughes also suggested to Ms Solomon that the only swearing the men were doing was amongst themselves, but Ms Solomon said the swearing was directed at cabin crew.
Magistrate Simon Brown adjourned the hearing to June 26.