Jet2 Flight Diverted to Brussels After Mid-Air Brawl
Belgian police were forced to storm a Jet2 flight bound for Manchester after a violent brawl broke out among passengers mid-air, leading to the aircraft being diverted to Brussels. Two disruptive passengers were removed from the flight by authorities and have subsequently been banned for life by the airline due to what Jet2 described as "appalling behaviour."
Chaotic Scenes Captured on Video
Video footage circulating on social media shows chaotic scenes aboard flight LS896 from Antalya, Turkey, on Thursday evening, February 12. The clip reveals multiple passengers becoming entangled in the fracas, with one man lunging to snatch another passenger's mobile phone before attempting to grab the face of the individual seated ahead of him.
In the footage, the passenger at the centre of the commotion is seen being shoved backwards, while another traveller attempts to calm the situation. However, tensions escalate as a passenger standing further away begins gesturing aggressively before pushing the initial man involved and reaching out to seize him.
Travellers can be heard yelling throughout the incident, with one man shouting "Get back" repeatedly. Several other passengers appear to be drawn into the scuffle, including a woman who rises from her seat to intervene or observe the unfolding chaos.
Police Intervention and Passenger Removal
As the situation deteriorated, one passenger was placed in a headlock by another traveller, while cabin crew members were visible guiding the first man involved toward the rear of the aircraft. Other passengers stood up monitoring the situation as multiple shouts and screams echoed through the cabin.
In the closing moments of the edited footage, a police officer can be seen lifting one passenger from the floor, while another voice repeatedly shouts "Time to go, time to go." The aircraft was compelled to reroute to Brussels, where officers boarded to remove the disruptive individuals.
Jet2's Response and Consequences
The Jet2 service eventually arrived in Manchester during the late evening hours following the diversion. A spokesperson for the airline issued a strong statement regarding the incident: "Flight LS896 from Antalya to Manchester diverted to Brussels yesterday, due to the appalling behaviour of two disruptive passengers. They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester."
The spokesperson added: "We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life, and we will also vigorously pursue them to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this diversion. As a family friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too."
The incident highlights the serious consequences of disruptive behaviour aboard aircraft, with airlines increasingly taking firm action against passengers who compromise safety and comfort during flights.
