‘Unruly’ drunk passenger tied to seat by flight attendants after refusing to sit, forces delay in landing
A Ryanair passenger is facing police investigation after his disruptive behaviour caused chaos aboard a flight from Manchester, England, to Rhodes, Greece, on Thursday, April 3. The situation escalated to such an extent that the aircraft’s landing had to be delayed, reported the People.
The trouble started when the crew confiscated his alcohol and refused to serve him further drinks.(Pexel)
According to reports, the trouble began when flight attendants confiscated two bottles of alcohol from the man and declined to serve him more drinks. Witnesses claimed his behaviour quickly turned aggressive.
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As the flight began its descent, the man reportedly stood up and ignored repeated instructions to return to his seat. Flight attendants attempted to restrain him using spare seatbelts, but he broke free, prompting the pilot to circle the island instead of landing.
In video footage taken during the flight, several passengers and crew members can be seen trying to manage the situation, while one crew member is heard shouting, “Sit down, now!” Once the plane landed safely in Rhodes, police boarded the aircraft and escorted the man off.
Strict zero-tolerance
In a statement to People, Ryanair confirmed that the crew had contacted authorities prior to landing due to the disruptive behaviour. “The aircraft was met by local police upon arrival at Rhodes Airport, and this passenger was removed,” the airline said. “Ryanair has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all.”
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One passenger who witnessed the event said, “The flight was going completely fine until the cabin crew came up to me and my partner at the front of the plane and asked us if we were traveling together and if we could be separated because a little girl needed to come down to the front of the plane with her dad because a man was being disruptive.”
The witness added that the man repeatedly got out of his seat and the crew had to raise their voices to get him to sit. The passenger also described the moment the man began “squaring up” to the crew in what seemed like an attempt to provoke a physical confrontation.
During the flight, the crew warned all passengers that anyone caught drinking Duty-Free alcohol would face police action. After landing, travelers were asked to remain seated as police boarded the plane and removed the disruptive individual.
