Two U.K. citizens will be spending the next month in jail instead of on a vacation in Mexico after their drunk, unruly behaviour caused an emergency landing in Winnipeg.

Ben James Iontton, 25, and Natalie Louise Walker, 34, were arrested by RCMP last Thursday at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

They pleaded guilty to a number of charges related to the incident in provincial court Tuesday.

During their sentencing hearing, the court heard that Iontton and Walker did not know each other, but were on the same plane from London bound for Los Cabos, Mexico.

While on the plane, Iontton drank a large amount of wine. When flight attendants decided to cut him off, he tried to get drinks from other passengers, Crown prosecutor Peter Edgett told the court.

When he was caught by cabin crew and cut off again, he started cursing and yelling at them. When he refused to stop, the cabin crew decided to restrain him in his chair.

But this did not stop his unruly behavior, the court heard.

While restrained, Iontton continued screaming and threatened crew members. After several hours of dealing with this behaviour, the cabin crew determined it wasn't safe for them to work anymore, and decided to divert the plane.

Once the plane landed, Iontton continued to yell and swear at police while they escorted him off the plane. At one point he assaulted an officer by striking him with his elbow and knee, Edgett said.

Another passenger acts up

As Iontton was being taken off the plane, passengers started to cheer, having dealt with the unruly passenger for hours, Edgett said.

"They just couldn't take it anymore," he said.

But Iontton was not the only unruly, inebriated passenger on the plane, the court heard.

While the plane was descending, Walker began yelling and swearing at crew members. This behaviour continued while on the tarmac, Edgett said.

Despite warnings from the plane's captain and police, Walker refused to halt her behaviour, and the cabin crew called RCMP back to the plane to remove her as well.

The court heard that Walker had consumed half of a large bottle of duty-free gin.

After Walker was taken into custody, the cabin crew determined that they had been working for too long and it was not safe for them to continue. They decided to ground the plane in Winnipeg overnight, Edgett said.

Hundreds of passengers impacted

In addition to derailing a flight for their fellow passengers, the incident also impacted people who were planning to board the same aircraft when it arrived in Mexico.

In total, 910 airline passengers were impacted, Edgett said.

"Both of the accused should be really ashamed of their conduct," he said.

They each apologized in court, saying they were ashamed of their actions.

Walker was given credit for the time she's already spent in jail, meaning she has another 23 days in custody. Iontton was not.

In addition to jail time, both Iontton and Walker were ordered to pay $100,000 each in restitution to the court. After they're released, they will have to report to the Canada Border Services Agency, and will likely be deported.

In sentencing the pair, Judge Lindy Choy noted that airplanes are confined spaces, where your life "is in the hands of the flight crew."

"The consequences could be disastrous if they can't do their jobs."