How a ‘drunk Karen’s’ life fell apart after she became the star of a viral video showing her being escorted off a Gold Coast flight with chants of ‘hey hey hey bye’
- Woman kicked off Jetstar flight
- The video quickly went viral on TikTok.
- Erica Carlson faced off in QLD court
- Single mother avoided conviction
A woman branded ‘drunken Karen’ after five police officers escorted her off a Gold Coast flight became the ‘number one internet star’ because of the vicious attention she received on social media, a reporter was told. court.
Erica Jayne Carlson, 42, rose to online infamy after she was filmed being escorted off a Victoria-bound Jetstar flight earlier this year.
Footage captured passengers cheering and singing to the tune of the 1969 Steam hit Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) as uniformed police surrounded Carlson.
But Southport Magistrates Court was told on Monday that the real reason he became belligerent with airline staff was because he did not want to pay for another ticket.
Carlson’s attorney, Michael McMillan, said the social media fallout that came with it had a “gigantic” impact on the single mother of two.
“She was the number 1 internet star,” McMillan said of the international media coverage that followed the confrontation.
Erica Jayne Carlson, 42, is seen outside Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.
Carlson pleaded guilty to a single Commonwealth charge of disorderly or offensive behavior on an aircraft.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $13,750 fine.
The court was told that flight JQ361 from the Gold Coast to Avalon Airport in Victoria was ready to take off on January 8, 2023, when the altercation unfolded.
Carlson was due to fly to the southern state to see his two sons, who were staying with their father.
A cabin crew member observed Carlson ‘falling off her seat’ and believed she was intoxicated, legal officer Kate Thomson said.
The cabin crew member formed the opinion that Carlson was unfit to fly and asked him to leave the plane.
Ms Thomson said Carlson repeatedly refused and began to argue, filming the confrontation when Federal Police officers were called.
Footage captured passengers cheering and singing to the tune of the 1969 Steam hit Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) as uniformed police surrounded Carlson (pictured)
Images uploaded to TikTok, accompanied by the caption “When there’s a drunk Karen on board,” captured officers dragging the 42-year-old woman from her seat during the incident.
One person is heard joking ‘five coppers… we could all have done it for free’ while others laugh and film the encounter on their phones.
Another is heard joking: “Come on mom, get off.”
McMillan explained that the infamous footage began when federal police entered the plane and failed to capture his client’s altercation.
He said the “lack of communication” with the flight staff escalated after Carlson became upset that he would not be able to fly again unless he paid for another ticket.
McMillan also said he did not take his client’s level of intoxication after she was escorted off the plane despite the cabin crew’s initial opinion of her.
Images uploaded to TikTok, accompanied by the caption “When there’s a drunk Karen on board,” captured officers dragging the 42-year-old woman from her seat during the incident.
The court was told that Carlson had endured extra-curial punishment after footage of the altercation went viral, including with news sites in the UK and US.
“She has already endured an unhappy and unhealthy public spotlight,” McMillan said.
“The only thing that says she didn’t make this the worst experience of her life is because she wasn’t named at the time.”
He said Carlson, who had no criminal record, was at risk of losing his part-time job at Lennox Head because of the unwarranted publicity.
Judge Veena Goverdhan ordered Carlson to enter into an order of release on reconnaissance with a security of $1,500, which would allow him to avoid conviction.
He was ordered to be on good behavior for nine months.
