Ryanair passenger arrested after causing mayhem on 'flight from hell'

Ryanair passenger arrested after causing havoc on 'flight from hell'
Ryanair passenger arrested after causing havoc on 'flight from hell'



A Ryanair passenger was arrested after a 'flight from hell' in which he reportedly claimed he had bombs, threw lit cigarettes around the cabin, and punched an elderly man.

A group of men on the flight eventually had to tackle him and restrained him until the plane landed at East Midlands airport on Wednesday night.

Hazel Hickson, 53, of Groby, who was returning from a five-day trip to Malaga with friends and her 12-year-old son, told the Leicester Mercury: "Ten minutes into the flight he was making strange noises.

"I first thought he might have learning difficulties, but then a couple sat close to him asked to be moved.

"He then stood up and said he could take the plane down, and somebody else said he heard him say he had three bombs.

"The cabin staff spoke to him, but they didn't really do anything in particular.

"He then started either verbally or physically abusing an elderly lady in front of him and, when her husband told him to stop, he punched him in the eye, breaking his glasses and making him bleed."

She said seven or eight men restrained him for around 20 minutes at the back of the aircraft.

Another passenger, Sue Snodin, 56, described it as a 'flight from hell' and said: "He started five minutes into the flight, he was shouting and obviously upset, I thought he was on drink or drugs. He lit cigarettes and threw them down the plane.

"There was a young stewardess trying to deal with him, but she was getting really upset."

A Ryanair spokesman told the Leicester Mercury: "The crew of this flight from Malaga to East Midlands requested police assistance on arrival after a passenger became disruptive.

"The aircraft landed normally and police removed and detained this passenger. Ryanair sincerely apologise to other customers for any inconvenience suffered on this flight. It is now a matter for Leicestershire police."

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman told the paper that a man had been charged with common assault, being drunk while on an aircraft and smoking on an aircraft and was due to appear in court in November.



Related articles

Passenger throws her prosthetic leg at cabin crew

Third plane diverts after seat reclining passenger row

Unruly Passenger Causes PBIA-Bound Flight to Make Emergency Landing
Unruly Passenger Causes PBIA-Bound Flight to Make Emergency Landing



Airline Passenger Shaming Takes Off on Social Media
Airline Passenger Shaming Takes Off on Social Media

Advertisement