EasyJet denies pilot asked passengers if faulty plane should take off

EasyJet has denied claims that a pilot asked passengers to vote on whether a faulty plane should take off.

Holidaymakers say they were on the tarmac at Malaga, Spain when the pilot said there was a "50/50 chance" of both engines working following a technical issue.

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The Plymouth Herald reports that the flight had already been delayed for 40 hours. Passengers were supposed to travel on Thursday but finally boarded on Saturday, when there was a further problem with one of the engines.

A passenger from Bath, who asked not to be named, said: "He gave us the option, asked us what he should do. He asked for a show of hands.

"There were some who just wanted to try it, they wanted to get home. But most didn't."

The passengers eventually flew back to the UK on a replacement plane on Saturday.

A witness told Gloucestershire Live: "It is possible there had been a misunderstanding among some of the passengers.

"It may simply have been that the pilot was asking them if they wanted to remain on the plane whilst they tried to sort the engine problems out.

A spokesman for EasyJet told the Daily Mirror: "The pilot attempted to use one engine to start the other engine as is normal procedure.

"Because he was aware that the passengers had already been considerably delayed due to a technical problem the pilot asked the passengers if they would like to get off or remain on board whilst the engine start up sequence continued."

They added: "At no point did the pilot ask passengers, or would ever attempt, to fly the aircraft without both engines working correctly."