Met Police officers were waiting for the VS008 plane to land after receiving reports a group of teenagers onboard had ‘endangered’ other passengers and crew on the flight
Nine teenagers were arrested after they “endangered” passengers on a flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow. Officers from the Met were standing by as the Virgin Atlantic VS008 came in to land after they received reports of teens behaving badly on the flight.
The teens – aged 17 and 18 – were picked up at the airport on Monday accused of failing to comply with crew directions and endangering the aircraft. A spokesperson for the Met today said all nine were released with no further action taken.
A Met spokesperson said: “Nine individuals – aged 17 and 18 – were arrested on Monday, July 14, at Heathrow Airport after disembarking a flight from Los Angeles. All were arrested on suspicion of failing to comply with crew directions and endangering aircraft.
“They were taken into custody and were released without charge. Enquiries continue.”
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told MyLondon: “We’d like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused following the arrival of the VS008 at London Heathrow on July 14, due to disruptive passengers being apprehended by the authorities.
“This is now a matter for the police, and we are unable to comment any further. The safety and welfare of our people and our customers is always our top priority.”
Heathrow Airport declined to comment.
Last month at the same airport, a man was chased across the tarmac as huge aircraft were manouvering before he was wrestled to the ground by police and detained.
The person, whose identity is unknown, was filmed with something around his waist as he ran away from several men at the airport around planes, which were arriving and leaving.
He appeared to be running away from people who appeared to be airport staff. A man could be heard saying “that is not right” as he filmed the bizarre footage of the man, who did not seem to be going in any clear direction before he was caught after several minutes.
He stopped running when two people, wearing fluorescent tops, came in a van and he appeared to be grabbed by a man in an orange top. At that point he seemed to give himself up peacefully before he was pinned to the ground.
A few moments after this, a police van can be seen racing across the airport from its eastern end, eventually arriving at the scene. The man was then put in the back of the vehicle during the incident which is understood to have taken place on Sunday.