British tourist forced to pay $20,000 to United Airlines for disturbing flight

According to the court filing, when the flight departing from London Heathrow was heading to Newark Liberty in New Jersey on March 1, Alexander MacDonald, 30, became aggressive after arguing with his girlfriend, The Independent reported.

Flight attendants approached him and asked him to calm down. Just a few minutes later, he yelled at them and threatened to "mess up the plane," New York Post reported.

"When flight attendants asked MacDonald to be quiet and attempted to calm him, he became belligerent, threatening and intimidating towards them," prosecutors said.

The flight crew then put the man in plastic handcuffs, but he continued disturbing the flight, forcing the captain to make an emergency landing at Bangor International Airport in the U.S. where he was removed from the aircraft and then arrested by local police officers.

The flight then continued its journey to New Jersey.

United Airlines said in a statement he will be banned from flying with the airline.