‘Drunk Karen’ appeals ‘excessive’ sentence after being booted off Jetstar flight

A woman who became “the internet’s No.1 star” after a video of her went viral showing passengers booing her as she was arrested on a Jetstar flight has appealed her sentence.

A woman branded a “drunk Karen” after she was booted off a Jetstar flight from the Gold Coast to the jeers of fellow passengers has lodged an appeal against her “manifestly excessive” punishment.

Erica Jayne Carlson, 42, of Lennox Head in northern NSW, became what her lawyer described as “the internet’s No.1 star” after she was kicked off the flight from Coolangatta to Avalon in January.

Passengers sang ‘Na Na, Hey, Hey, Goodbye’ - a hit 1969 song by American band Steam - as she was escorted from her seat by five Australian Federal Police officers.

The embarrassing expulsion was captured on a TikTok video captioned “When there is a drunk Karen on board”, which quickly went viral.

In Southport Magistrates Court last month, Carlson pleaded guilty to a Commonwealth charge of behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner on an aircraft.

Her lawyer, Michael McMillan, told the court the social media fallout had a “gigantic” impact on the single mum of two.

“She was the internet’s No.1 star,” Mr McMillan said of the international media coverage.

Erica Carlson being escorted off a Jetstar flight by police. Picture: TikTok

The court heard the incident happened on January 8 when Carlson was flying from the Gold Coast to Victoria to visit her two sons, who were staying with their father.

A cabin crew member observed Carlson “fall into her seat” and believed she was intoxicated, legal officer Kate Thomson told the court.

The cabin crew member formed the opinion that Carlson was not fit to fly and asked her to leave the plane.

Ms Thomson said Carlson repeatedly refused and became argumentative, filming the confrontation as AFP officers were called.

Footage uploaded to TikTok – accompanied with the text “When there is a drunk Karen on board” – captured officers dragging the 42-year-old from her seat during the incident.

One person is heard quipping “five coppers … we could have all done it for free” as others laugh and film the encounter on their phones.

Another is heard joking: “Come on mum, get off.”

Erica Jayne Carlson outside court earlier this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Blake Antrobus

Mr McMillan told the court a “miscommunication” with cabin crew escalated after Carlson became upset that she might not be able to fly again unless she paid for another ticket.

Carlson was slapped with a $1500 bond and nine-month good behaviour order.

This week, she lodged an appeal against the “manifestly excessive” sentence in Southport District Court.

Mr McMillan told the Sunday Mail that the appeal was against the recording of a conviction, which he said the magistrate had the discretion not to impose.

“This case has all the features of someone who should have been dealt with without a conviction,” he said.

“Ms Carlson wants to study and get on with her life and the conviction will impact that.”

No date has yet been set for the appeal.