Jet2 says passengers who caused flight diversion will be ‘held accountable’
Members of a ‘drunk and aggressive’ stag party who caused an Ibiza-bound flight to be diverted will be ‘held accountable’ for their actions.
The Jet2 flight, which left Birmingham at 4pm on Friday afternoon, was diverted to Toulouse where French police escorted the men off the aircraft.
It later transpired one of the party had not even been allowed to board at Birmingham because he was too drunk. Crew members had already decided not to sell alcohol on the flight.
Other passengers reported the men went ‘nose-to-nose’ with crew members, according to the Daily Mirror.
In a statement, the airline said: "Our crew had already made the decision to stop sales of alcohol on the flight, after one member of the group was refused boarding for being drunk and aggressive.
"Despite that, a number of the party continued to act in a deplorable and aggressive fashion once on the aircraft, which cannot and will not be tolerated.
"After repeat warnings, the crew took the decision to divert the aircraft in the interests of everyone’s comfort and safety."
Jet2 has repeatedly called for limits on the amount of alcohol passengers can drink before boarding a flight.
MD Phil Ward said: "We will now be taking further action in support of our crew to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions."
He added: "This is the second time that disruptive passenger behaviour has caused one of our flights to be diverted in just a few weeks, so enough is enough.
"Proper measures need putting in place by the industry and government to ensure that our crew and customers can fly in a safe, trouble-free environment..
"As a family friendly airline flying millions of people on holiday every year, we are demanding that proper action is taken to protect our crew and customers from this appalling behaviour."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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