Iranian man fined for smoking on board AirAsia flight

A 35-year-old Iranian man on a transit flight to Kuala Lumpur on his way to the Netherlands to look for a job was fined RM2,500 and jailed two days by the Sepang Magistrate's Court, here today after he pleaded guilty to smoking cigarette on board an AirAsia flight.

Magistrate Norul Fitri Hamdan meted out the sentence against Ali Firooz, who committed the offence in the toilet of an AirAsia flight from Tehran to Kuala Lumpur, at about 7.55 am last Aug 23.

Ali, who looked calm but fatigued in the courtroom, pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him in English.

The charge, under Section 100 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 and punishable under Section 206 of the same regulation, carries a fine of up to RM 2,500, and imprisonment for up to a year, upon conviction.

Ali was ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest.

Inmitigation, lawyer Zaflee Pakwanteh, representing Ali, said his client, who was heading to the Netherlands to look for a job, was remorse for his action.

Ali paid the fine.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashvinii Thinakaran.

Meanwhile in the same court, an 18-year-old boy promised not to smoke in-flight again after he was fined RM1,500 and sentenced to two days' jail for the offence.

"I will not do it again," said student Joshua Ling Yu Hann, after the magistrate sentenced him.

He was charged with smoking aboard AirAsia flight AK5875 from Sibu to klia2, at 10.30 pm last Aug 23.

-- BERNAMA