15 December 2023 , 15:59
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Cops in Spain were forced to meet an easyJet flight from Edinburgh after a passenger started "behaving disruptively", it has been revealed.
The plane was travelling to the Canary Islands when a man "took unwell" according to a fellow passenger. The witness said around 50 minutes before arriving in Lanzarote, cabin crew called for passengers to assist them as the man's behaviour had become "concerning".
The passenger reported seeing a man receiving medical assistance as he remained at the back of the aircraft where cabin crew were reportedly keeping an eye on him and the budget airline confirmed the incident onboard flight EZY3202. EasyJet confirmed police were waiting at the airport when the flight touched down due to the disruptive nature of a passenger and stated that cabin crew members are trained to "assess and evaluate" all situations to act quickly.
According to EdinburghLive, a spokesperson for easyJet said: "We can confirm that flight EZY3202 from Edinburgh to Lanzarote on 13 December was met by police on arrival due to a passenger behaving disruptively onboard. EasyJet’s cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time."
In September, Spanish police had to storm another of the airline's flights to the Canary Islands after receiving reports of "eight violent passengers" on board. The plane, travelling from Manchester to Tenerife, had to be diverted to Lanzarote. Flight EZY34TV left Manchester just after 7am on Friday and touched down in Lanzarote around 1.20pm local time.
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Spanish air traffic controllers revealed police had been called to meet the plane because of the "possibility of assaults". They said in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter): "The crew of a flight from Manchester to Tenerife South has informed us of the presence of eight violent passengers on board. Given the possibility of attacks, they have requested a detour to Lanzarote."
They added: "A police presence on arrival was co-ordinated. We reiterate our support for air crews and passengers who have to endure these situations." Local reports said four men on the plane had been identified and reported to the Spanish Air Safety and Security Agency (AESA) which will now fine the holidaymakers. They are said to have been "drunk" when they started causing problems although they co-operated with police after the plane reached Lanzarote.
In Spain, the normal procedure – unless police witness a crime being committed – usually involves a formal identification of the person who was the cause of a problem and they are then taken off a plane so they can be fined. The level of fines for a standard type of breach are between around £50 to nearly £40,000. Troublemakers can also be forced to pay for the cost of any diversion, and face a flying ban with the airline.
A spokesperson for the budget airline said at the time: "EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY2011 from Manchester to Tenerife on September 29 was diverted to Lanzarote where the aircraft was met by police due to passengers behaving disruptively onboard. The flight then continued to Tenerife."