An easyJet flight from Gatwick Airport to Antalya was forced to divert to Kosovo following a disruptive incident involving a drunken woman and a man threatening other passengers. The incident occurred on board an Airbus A320, creating chaos and distress among travellers, including families with young children.
Passengers reported that the woman was drinking directly from a bottle of vodka during the flight. A man, who was not travelling with her but began interacting after discovering they were both from Kent, boasted about a history of prison and threatened to kill anyone who complained about their behaviour.
The situation escalated when the flight crew asked the pair to stop drinking. This led to a physical altercation that required intervention from other passengers. Children on board were left screaming in fear as tensions rose. The woman was travelling with her partner and young children, with her boyfriend moving away with one of the distressed kids during the incident.
Due to safety concerns, the pilot decided to divert the flight to Kosovo. Upon landing, local police boarded the aircraft and escorted both the woman and the man off the plane. The flight then resumed and arrived in Antalya approximately three hours late, much to the relief of other travellers.
This event has intensified calls within the aviation industry for a unified UK-wide ban on disruptive passengers across all airlines. Sources at easyJet have expressed support for proposals including Jet2’s suggestion of a blanket ban that would prevent banned individuals from flying with any UK carrier, aiming to stop offenders from simply switching airlines.
EasyJet stated: “We do not tolerate disruptive behaviour. The safety of customers and crew is always our highest priority.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
