Sao Paulo, Jan 31: An American tourist who splashed a cup of water over a crying baby on a flight from the United States headed back home two days after being barred from entering Brazil, police said on Friday.
Ronald Duffy, a 35-year-old from Pennsylvania, had been denied entry to the country on Wednesday morning because of the incident and was then kicked off another flight back to Miami on Thursday after he began misbehaving again before take-off.
He eventually left just before midnight on Thursday after spending most of the day in police custody, a police spokeswoman said.
Duffy had planned to spend Carnival in the northern city of Salvador with his Brazilian (news - web sites) girlfriend. His woes began in Miami on Tuesday.
American Airlines refused to board him on its flight to Sao Paulo because of his behavior at check-in. He got on a TAM airlines flight and found himself sitting by a couple with a baby.
Annoyed by the toddler's crying, he asked for a cup of water then doused the baby with it. He said he had wanted to sleep. Police said later he was drunk.
Duffy narrowly avoided being beaten up by other passengers and was arrested -- to applause -- when the plane landed in Sao Paulo.
"He can try and get another visa but he might find it difficult as his last one was canceled for bad behavior," the spokeswoman said."
It was the second incident involving a US citizen at Sao Paulo airport this month. Two weeks ago, an American Airlines pilot was arrested and fined almost $13,000 after making an obscene gesture while being photographed by immigration officials.
Bureau Report
