Armed french police boarded the plane which had taken off from Luton and was heading to Benidorm after the captain was forced to divert the plane to France
A group of Brits were dragged off a packed flight to Benidorm after becoming rowdy on board with one reportedly trying to open a door while they were in the air.
Fellow passengers shouted “merci beaucoup” – thank you very much – to the armed French police who roughly removed the men from the seats and led them off the Ryanair plane that was heading from Luton to Alicante. The pilot had to divert to Toulouse in France after concerns were raised by cabin crew when the men were said to have refused to return to their seats.
The men were reportedly on a stag do and were accused of being drunk, with fellow passengers recording the moment the elite special forces police arrived in the aisle and the men were pointed out by the crew.
An investigative source said: “It was terrifying for everybody else on the flight. The pilot had no other option except to land the plane.” They claimed one of the men was next to an emergency door, and was trying to open it.
Despite repeated warnings from cabin crew, the captain of the flight made an emergency call to the French authorities. before the plane landed at Toulouse-Blagnac airport, where a unit of the Air Transport Gendarmerie Company (CGTA) was waiting, it is reported.
The investigating source alleged one of the men was “very drunk” and was taken to a Border Police cell to sober up. They claimed around four others were taken off the flight at the same time, and arrested. The source said: “The principal accused is now at the centre of a judicial enquiry, and faces trial and a punishment of up to five years.”
CGTA commander Ludovic Fornari meanwhile praised the ‘extreme professionalism’ of his team, and the other French units ‘who cooperated with us’. A police source in Toulouse confirmed the flight was diverted to the city at ‘around 9.30pm on Friday’.
After the removal of some passengers, the flight was cleared for take-off again, and left at 10.15pm. A video posted on TikTok by a passenger shows the arrest of the men.
A Ryanair spokesman told the Mirror: ““This flight from London Luton to Alicante (26 Sept) diverted to Toulouse after a small group of passengers became disruptive onboard. Crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon landing at Toulouse Airport and offloaded these passengers before this flight continued to Alicante.
“Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption. This is now a matter for local police.”
Ryanair has been complaining about the behaviour of British passengers on its planes for years. Michael O’Leary, the head of Ryanair, is demanding that airport bars limit the sale of alcohol to passengers to two drinks.
As in Britain, the maximum penalty for ‘endangering the safety of an aircraft’ in France is five years in prison, plus a fine equivalent to around £60,000.
Anyone charged with being ‘drunk on a plane’ in France or in the UK faces a maximum sentence of two years, with a fine equivalent to around £4,000.