A 39-year-old Laval man appeared in court briefly this afternoon on charges in connection with an alleged disturbance aboard a Cuba-bound Sunwing Airlines flight that was forced to turn around back to Montreal.
Charalabos Nassios faces five charges: committing a violent act against crew and passengers likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft; obstructing the operation of a plane; uttering threats; assault; and an unrelated charge of breaching a condition of not being allowed to consume alcohol linked to cases in Laval.
Nassios' lawyer entered a plea of not guilty. She declined to comment.
The crown objected to Nassios' release so he remains detained pending a bail hearing next week.
Two U.S. fighter jets were dispatched last night to escort a Sunwing Airlines flight heading to Cuba back to Montreal because of what airline officials described as an "unruly passenger" making "non-specific threats."
Nassios, who turns 40 in three weeks, appeared via videoconference from Bordeaux prison.
Sporting a shaved head and a grey T-shirt with a Nike Jumpman logo, Nassios looked calm and didn't say anything except to mention he could speak French when asked by his lawyer and to agree to return to court for his bail hearing.