"We can confirm that on Saturday, March 9, an unaccompanied passenger was removed from a flight from Helsinki to Japan for failing to follow the instructions of the flight crew," Finnair spokesperson Mia Eloranta told ERR on Monday.

The police were called to help escort the passenger from the plane, Eloranta added in a written comment.

Heidi Saarinen, a spokesperson for Finland's Eastern Uusimaa Police, confirmed to ERR that the police had helped remove a passenger from the plane on Saturday evening, though declined to provide any further information.

When asked for clarification on the circumstances of the person's removal from the flight, Eloranta said that, in line with Finnair's policy, the company does not give out further details about incidents or passengers.

"On a general level, a passenger can be removed from a flight for example due to unruly behavior or not being in a condition to fly," Eloranta said.

Aviation expert Toomas Uibo said on Raadio 2's morning show on Monday that the primary task of every flight crew is to ensure the flight's safely and therefore any potential risks are carefully assessed.

"If a member of the flight crew sees that one of the passengers poses a threat to flight safety, they are removed. There is no room for argument. The captain has the right to remove anybody, and will make a decision based on the information they get from the flight crew," said Uibo.

Asked whether members of the flight crew could ask an intoxicated passenger to blow into an alcometer, Uibo said they did not have the right. "The use of an alcometer is regulated by law and airlines do not have that right. However, they do have the right to assess a person's fitness and decide on that basis whether the person might endanger the flight. It is down to the crew's judgement. They have to visually identify whether they see a threat or not," said Uibo.

Postimees reported that they had received a tip-off on Saturday regarding an incident on a plane in Helsinki, which as bound for Japan. Passengers had been informed that take-off was delayed. According to an eyewitness, Rõivas got into an argument with a member of flight crew, and later, police officers arrived on board to escort him off the plane.

Postimees also spoke to other people who were at Helsinki Airport at the same time as the Estonian foreign ministry and business delegation. According to them, Rõivas was already intoxicated prior to boarding the plane.

The former prime minister told Postimees that while it is true he got into an argument with a member of the flight crew because he was using a laptop computer to get some work done, allegations of intoxication are false and amount to slander, as well as that he is willing to turn to the Estonian Press Council (Pressinõukogu) if necessary.

On Sunday, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) began a three-day high-level visit to Japan. During the visit, Tsahkna will meet Japanese Foreign Minister Yōko Kamikawa, Digital Minister Taro Kono and representatives of the Japanese parliament. The visit also involves a business delegation, of which Rõivas was due to be a member.

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