Summary
- Passengers showing signs of drunken behavior are typically refused boarding, but this man was allowed on the flight with regrettable consequences.
- Eyewitnesses say the person presented a hostile and drunken attitude before takeoff, and his behavior escalated to violence throughout the flight.
- The person was forcibly removed by the Spanish Civil Guard upon landing and should face criminal charges, together with potential damages claims from Ryanair.
A 50-year-old Portuguese man flying onboard a Ryanair service from London Stansted on Friday was arrested after drunken behavior forced the pilots to divert the aircraft to a close-by airport in Spain. Passengers are typically refused boarding should they show signs of poor attitude, mainly in the event that they show signs of drunken behavior. On this case, the person was allowed on the flight – with regrettable consequences.
The Ryanair service was a frequently scheduled flight between London Stansted International Airport (STN) and Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). The Boeing 737-800 operating flight FR1080 is registered EI-DCP and is nineteen years of age. It was delivered to the carrier in November 2004.
Questionable boarding
There have been already signs of concern regarding passenger behavior before the aircraft had even left London Stansted. All passengers, including the person who was later arrested, were allowed boarding. Eyewitnesses told La Voz de Galicia that the person already presented a hostile attitude in addition to obvious signs of drunkenness. It’s unclear whether the gate agents and other staff, including the Ryanair crew, were aware of the person’s condition prior to takeoff.
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The person reportedly purchased several bottles of alcohol on the airport duty-free and had already began consuming them before departure.
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In keeping with eyewitness testimonies, as reported by La Voz de Galicia, the person had a (translated from Spanish). The person began punching the front seat, a behavior he maintained for a big a part of the flight. As the person continued to act unruly, passengers around him were forced to go away their seats and sit elsewhere out of fear of being hit by one in every of his punches. One passenger described him as an (translated from Spanish). The unruly passenger may very well be seen confronting the pilot.
The person’s attitude didn’t improve. As an alternative, it got worse. The crew reassured him that they’d be approaching their destination shortly and that he should calm down. This try and calm the person down was unsuccessful, and he was tied to his seat, reportedly with chains. After that, the pilot requested an emergency landing at Vigo Airport, Spain, and asked that police escort the person off upon arrival.
Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock
The arrest
The aircraft landed at Vigo Airport at around 9:30 local time (UTC+1), based on Flightradar24 data. Upon arrival, members of the Spanish Civil Guard ( boarded the plane, and the passenger was forcibly removed. This effort reportedly required 4 or five agents. Passengers clapped and provided a standing ovation for the crew and the Civil Guard.
The aircraft then took off and made its method to Lisbon, landing at around 11:30 am local time, based on Flightradar24.
Justice to be served?
La Voz de Galicia now reports that the passenger could face criminal charges, having hit a member of the Civil Guard. It’s currently as much as the court that’s in command of the case to find out whether the passenger purposely attacked officers or was merely resisting. This distinction will change the course of his sentence.
Photo: InsectWorld/Shutterstock
The person can also be subject to damages claims from Ryanair as a consequence of the prices to the corporate given the diversion to Vigo Airport. Other charges that Ryanair could claim include those for fuel. It’s price noting that Ryanair did allow the passenger to board the aircraft at London Stansted despite showing signs of unruly behavior.