A man has been jailed after assaulting a woman on an EasyJet flight from Naples to Edinburgh, in a case that has again raised questions about passenger safety and how quickly incidents can escalate in the air.
The incident happened on 13 May 2025 during a late evening service. Court proceedings heard the man, a 45 year old Italian national, moved seats to sit beside a woman travelling alone. He offered her wine and then began assaulting her. The woman repeatedly told him no and tried to move away, but the behaviour continued.
When he attempted to get her to go with him to the aircraft toilet, she went to cabin crew and reported what had happened. Crew intervened, separated the pair and moved the woman to another area of the cabin for the remainder of the flight. Police arrested the man when the aircraft landed in Edinburgh.
The man later denied wrongdoing and claimed the encounter was consensual, but a jury found him guilty of sexual assault and attempted rape at the High Court in Edinburgh. He was sentenced on 6 February 2026 to six years in prison. The court heard the attack had a lasting impact on the victim’s confidence and her sense of safety, including when travelling alone.
While incidents like this are uncommon, the confined nature of an aircraft cabin can make unwanted behaviour feel inescapable, particularly when alcohol is involved and passengers are seated close together. For travellers, the clearest takeaway is to act early if something feels wrong. Cabin crew can move seats, separate passengers and escalate to authorities on arrival, and reporting in flight can be crucial in stopping an incident quickly.
For anyone travelling solo, it is worth trusting your instincts and using the support available on board. You do not need to justify changing seats, seeking assistance or asking crew to intervene. In situations where safety is at risk, speaking up promptly can make all the difference.
