German businessman Dietmar Ross, 54, was slapped with a one-month jail sentence for disrupting a Malaysian Airlines flight to Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Ross pleaded guilty at the Sepang Sessions Court to the charge of endangering a cabin crew member by not abiding to rules of the flight.

The German national is said to have endangered MAS flight crew member, Phuah Soh Kin, 48, by raising his voice and using foul language.

He was charged under ‎Regulation 70 (1) Civil Aviation Rules 1969, which is punishable under Regulation 188 (7) of the same regulation.

Under the regulation, a person can face a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a maximum two years jail.

DPP B Umadevi represented the prosecution while Ross was represented by Zaflee Pakwanteh before Judge Aizatul Akmar Maharani.

Made a turnback

On May 9, social media users began sharing worrying tweets on the condition of flight MH179 which began circling off Pulau Ketam shortly after taking off.

The Colombo-bound plane then turned back and landed safely at KLIA.

The following day, MAS said the turn-back was required because of an unruly intoxicated passenger who had to be restrained.

However, acting Sepang district police chief Abdul Aziz Ali said tests showed that the passenger was not drunk.

"What actually happened was that the flight had just taken off. He was seated in business class and asked a stewardess to serve him whisky.

"But as the seatbelt sign was still turned on, the crew had to refuse him. That was when he got mad and got into a scuffle with the stewardess," he said.