A mother who was arrested at Manchester Airport and banned from an airline for being intoxicated says burnout caused her behavior.
Leanne Burns, 44, a mother of two, had planned a trip to Faro, Portugal, during the October half-term last year. After arriving at the airport, she made sure her children, ages eight and five, were fed and hydrated before ordering herself a drink at the bar. She later bought a bottle of wine from duty-free and continued drinking.
When it was time to board, Leanne was stopped at the gate. She began shouting and insisting she be allowed on the plane. Police arrested her, and she was banned from the airline. She spent the night in a cell before being released without charge the next day.
Nearly a year later, Leanne has quit social media, attended counseling, and focused on “removing negativity” from her life. “It’s been a rollercoaster of a year,” she said. “I know I was wrong, and I want to get it off my chest — we all make mistakes. I’m not 100% there yet, but I know I’m a good mom.”
Leanne, a care worker from Liverpool, said she frequently took her children on holidays to give them “happy times,” but admits she was exhausted at the time of her arrest. In 2024, she trained for and ran the London Marathon while also taking her kids on a trip to Turkey.
“I’d done the London Marathon, been on loads of holidays, and I think I just burned out,” she confessed. “My husband, Mark, and I work different shifts, and I felt like I was struggling with everyone’s problems while caring for the kids. I didn’t have enough time for them, but I kept trying to make it up with trips and treats.”
Recalling the day of her arrest, Leanne said she “couldn’t believe” what happened. “I checked in, got the kids a meal at KFC, and had a glass of wine. Then I bought a £6 bottle of wine from duty-free and kept topping up my drink. When we got to the gate, staff asked me to sit aside. I panicked, started shouting, and begged them to let me on. When police arrested me, I felt like my life was over.”
After the incident, Leanne sought help through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and counseling. “I explained what I was going through — perimenopause and burnout. I took everything on board, went to all the sessions, exercised more, and surrounded myself with positivity. I didn’t drink for six months.”
Now, Leanne says she’s in a better place and wants others to seek help if they feel overwhelmed. “Talk to your GP or self-refer to CBT. Write down how you feel and talk to your family. Life is good now — I feel mindful of everything I do, and I’m making better decisions for myself.”
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