A father has described his family's 'horrible' ordeal after a TUI flight from Cancun to Manchester was forced to divert to Canada following an incident involving an allegedly unruly passenger. Mr Stockford, travelling with his wife and four daughters, said the man sitting behind his children began behaving aggressively, making disturbing comments about a 'man with a knife' and repeatedly trying to leave his seat.
Cabin crew, with help from a doctor on board, restrained the passenger. However, the captain decided the safety risk was too great and diverted the Boeing 787-9 to Gander, Newfoundland, where police removed the man. During landing, the situation escalated, with children crying and fearing for their lives, according to Mr Stockford.
After landing, passengers faced further disruption. Mr Stockford claimed communication from TUI was limited, with families transported to hotels in difficult conditions and told their rooms were only available for a short time due to a local event. He said passengers endured long waits for transport and spent hours at Gander Airport, many still in summer clothing as temperatures were near freezing.
The flight eventually resumed, arriving in the UK a day late. Mr Stockford said the ordeal left his children shaken and accused the airline of failing them completely.
