Erica Carlson: ‘Drunk Karen’ kicked out off plane for disorderly conduct appeals ‘excessive punishment'
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA: Erica Carlson, a 42-year-old woman who was dubbed “Drunk Karen” after being booted off a Jetstar flight, is reportedly appealing her “excessive punishment” for receiving a $1,500 bond and nine-month good behavior order. The woman previously pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner on an aircraft at the Southport Magistrates Court.
Carlson’s lawyer Michael McMillan told the Courier Mail that the punishment handed down to the woman was “excessive.” “This case has all the features of someone who should have been dealt with, without a conviction,” he said, adding, “Ms Carlson wants to study and get on with her life and the conviction will impact that.” He told the court that while Carlson was accused of being intoxicated and unfit to fly, the real reason behind her altercation with airline staff was because she did not want to pay for another ticket. The Commonwealth charge against Carlson carries a maximum penalty of a $13,750 fine, the Daily Mail noted. A specific appeal date for the case is yet to be scheduled.
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What did Erica Carlson do?
On January 8, Jetstar flight JQ361 was ready to take-off from the Gold Coast to Avalon Airport in Victoria when a cabin crew member saw Carlson “fall into her seat.” Legal officer Kate Thomson told the Daily Mail that the attendant believed Carlson was intoxicated and not fit to fly. The outlet stated that the latter was flying to the southern state to see her two sons, who were staying with their father.
Shortly after, Carlson was asked to exit the plane but refused to comply and became argumentative, Thomson claimed. The now-viral altercation between the woman and flight staffers was reportedly filmed while police officers were called to handle the situation.
Carlson pleaded guilty to a Commonwealth charge of behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner on an aircraft. Magistrate Veena Goverdhan ordered Carlson, who had no criminal history, to be on good behaviour for nine months and allowed her to avoid being convicted by recognisance release order with a $1,500 surety.
‘The internet's No.1 star’
Carlson’s lawyer said that the single mother-of-two unwittingly became “the internet's No.1 star” after footage of the altercation went viral. A TikTok video captioned 'When there is a drunk Karen on board' showed the woman getting dragged from her seat during the scuffle. In the clip, passengers inside the aircraft could be heard singing Steam’s 1969 classing ‘Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)’ while surrounded Carlson and took her away.
One person could be heard saying, “Five coppers… we could have all done it for, free” while another could be heard saying, “Come on mum, get off.” Other passengers could also be heard laughing while filming the encounter before cheering as Carlson is escorted off the flight. She told the publication that the video and the social media attention had a huge impact on her.
“She has already endured an unhappy, unhealthy public spotlight. The only thing she says that didn't make this the worst experience of her life is because she wasn't named at the time,” McMillan said, adding that Carlson’s intoxication level was not taken after she was booted off the plane despite the cabin crew’s initial complaint against her. He also claimed that Carlson was even at risk of losing her part-time job in Lennox Head due to the unwanted publicity.