Is plane sex illegal? Laws and rules for if you’re caught having sex on a flight revealed – and you could get in MUCH more trouble on some planes

A randy couple were recently caught having sex on board a Virgin Atlantic flight to Cancun - and the moment they were caught was captured on video.

The woman then went on to have a fight with a friend – and was greeted by Mexican police when the plane landed due to “disruptive” behaviour.

So would you get in trouble if caught? Whether you could be arrested or not largely depends on the aircraft that you’re flying with - and where it's registered to.

A spokesperson from the Civil Aviation Authority told Sun Online Travel: “On board the aircraft, it is the law of the country where the aircraft is registered that applies."

They continued: “If the aircraft is registered in the UK, then UK domestic law applies, so it is the aircraft that counts and not the nationality of the airline.”

The CAA went on to tell us that people caught having sex in public in the UK could be arrested for the criminal offence of Outraging Public Decency – which could also be applied in an aircraft.

The spokesperson said: “It would be a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to decide if a prosecution should be brought.

“There are no specific aviation laws covering this - the same laws that apply domestically within the UK would also apply on board a UK registered aircraft.”

We checked, and under section 71 of the Sexual Offences Act 2004, it is illegal to have sex in a toilet which the public has access to.  So the same rule applies on a UK registered plane.

Offenders risk a six-month prison sentence or a £1,000 fine.

But while it's very much frowned upon to have sex on a plane that's registered to the UK, it's relatively unlikely that you would be imprisoned for doing so, though you could be fined.

However, you could get in a lot more trouble if you were on a plane registered to a country which has strict rules on sex in public - such as the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia or Qatar.

In Saudi Arabia for instance, even “consorting” with a member of the opposite sex can lead to a flogging punishment.

A local man was sentenced to four months in prison and 90 lashes for hugging and kissing a woman in a Riyadh shopping centre.

In Dubai, a popular holiday destination among Brits and the home of Emirates airline, kissing and petting in public - even between a married couple - is considered an offence to public decency.

Back in 2010 a British couple made headlines around the world after they were arrested for simply kissing in public in the UAE city.

Locals dubbed the PDA as a violation of the country's decency laws after kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.

Ayman Najafi, 24 and Charlotte Adams, 25 appealed their conviction stating it was a mere peck on the cheek, but they lost their appeal and were sentenced to a month in jail before being deported.

A spokesperson from Detained in Dubai says: "A multitude of charges could be laid against anyone any caught having sex in public in Dubai.

"Firstly, there would be public indecency charges that could warrant several years in prison and there could be additional charges for adultery in the event the couple were not married.

The judicial system in the UAE is unpredictable and the courts are not required to follow precedents.

"It is therefore largely at the discretion of the individual judges and could range from a few months to a few years.”

While the law is the ultimate decider, how much trouble you get in also depends on whether or not your flight attendant has a sense of humour about the situation.

For instance, one male flight attendant recent told Rooster: "It really depends on the crew that is operating. Personally, I'd be more inclined to smile or high-five couples

But if you're flying an airline with old and cynical flight attendants who have been beat down by the perpetual bulls*** of passengers and are on the very brink of becoming mild sociopaths, things likely won't go so well for you.

"That's why I always recommend booking your flights with an airline that has younger flight attendants. Get a feel for them first."

Former flight attendant Mandy Smith revealed in book Cabin Fever: “If we saw passengers being amorous we’d tell them to stop, or politely knock on the toilet door.”

In 2007, Virgin tycoon Richard Branson admitted he became a member of the Mile High Club when he was 19 years old.