Flight Forced to Turn Around Twice After Multiple Passenger Fights

Image: PHOTO: An EasyJet Airbus. (photo via umenie / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus (umenie / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)
Image: PHOTO: An EasyJet Airbus. (photo via umenie / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus (umenie / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)
Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 3:38 PM ET, Sun March 8, 2020

Unruly passengers, disruptions, fights both physical and verbal … the conduct on airplanes is no surprise these days.

But this latest incident is a bit different, for sure.

An EasyJet plane looking to take off from Manchester, England was forced not once but twice to turn around on the tarmac due to brawling, boozing passengers.

The flight was bound for Alicante, Spain, on Thursday according to England's Daily Mirror newspaper.

Two separate fights erupted on the plane involving two separate groups of passengers as the pilot twice taxi'd for takeoff.

After the second attempt, police were called to escort the brawling passengers off the plane back at the gate.

The flight was delayed for three hours. An EasyJet spokesperson said some of the passengers had been drinking their own alcohol they brought aboard the plane.

"We can confirm that the flight EZY1919 from Manchester to Alicante returned to stand on two occasions as a result of two separate groups of passengers on board behaving disruptively," EasyJet said in a statement. "We are aware that some passengers were drinking their own alcohol on board and prior to the flight in the terminal. Police met the aircraft to remove the passengers before it continued to Alicante. EasyJet's cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. Whilst such incidents are rare, we have take them very seriously, and do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour on board. The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is our highest priority."


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Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

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