Slap on the Wrist for BA Flyer Who Filmed Up-Skirt Video of FA

A 61-year-old flyer earned a fine of less than $15 after he was caught taking the inappropriate video of a flight attendant in the first class cabin of a South Africa-bound British Airways flight.

Authorities in South Africa are quietly blaming a charging error for allowing a lecherous passenger’s abusive behavior to go basically unpunished. Martyn Vaughan was arrested shortly after his flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) landed in Johannesburg. Police say the 61-year-old was caught using his phone to film under a skirt of a 26-year-old British Airways flight attendant. Vaughn who was seated in the plane’s first class cabin was escorted from the flight by police officers, but was released a short time later after admitting to “simple assault” and paying a fine of less than $15.

According to the Daily Mail, the flyer was spotted holding his phone under the crew member’s skirt as she was serving a drink to another passenger. The British national is said to have initially denied even having a phone on the flight, but eyewitnesses quickly contradicted the business traveler’s unlikely claim.

The newspaper quotes an unnamed source as confessing that less serious charges were inexplicably filed when Vaughan was taken into custody. In a bizarre twist, the arresting officer is said to have been out of contact with authorities after abruptly quitting the force days after taking Vaughan to jail.

While the well-to-do businessman seems to have escaped the serious violation with little more than a slap on the wrist from the legal system, British Airways officials are doing what they can to punish the passenger for his despicable actions. Vaughan is now banned from ever boarding another British Airways flight for life. The airline says it hasn’t given up the hope that the creepy passenger will face justice. “We will support the South African authorities with their investigation,” the airline said in a statement about the disturbing incident.

[Photo: British Airways]