Sir Howard Elston, our aeronautics reporter, explains how BoJo grappled with US mile-high justice.

The boss of United Airlines has said that employees “followed established procedures” in an incident which saw UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson dragged off an overbooked US domestic flight.

In an email to employees, the sky boss said he was “upset to see and hear about what happened”. But he said that the classics-loving laugh-a-minute BoJo had been “disruptive and belligerent” and shouting abuse using expletives from works by Plautus, Cicero, Trajan and Jerry Garcia.

The airline added that it was investigating what happened after videos provoked a social media outcry.

The footage shows a man with a thatched roof for a haircut and carrying a soggy take-out meal and a briefcase being pulled out of his seat and dragged down the aisle. He is later seen with blood on his face and blustering ancient Greek epithets and ranting that Putin and Rex didn’t respect him. 

Phil, a well-known Yorkshire car dealer and an expert on foreign ministers who use planes, said: “BoJo got a million dollar lawsuit on his chubby hands once he peels himself off the ceiling of the Foreign Office and grabs a rent-a- lawyer. As for the friendly skies of United, Jeez, gimme a break. I’ll take Crackpot Airlines any day.”

@sirhowardelston