A brawl involving 10 passengers on an easyJet flight heading to Liverpool forced the pilot to perform a mid-air U-turn, returning the aircraft to its departure point in Tenerife, air traffic control has confirmed.
Incident details
The captain made the decision to head back to Spain approximately 30 minutes into the journey 'due to the danger' the altercation 'posed to the safety of the flight', according to the air traffic controller. Officers were waiting when flight EZY3352 landed at Tenerife South airport on Tuesday evening, following the crew's request.
The aircraft, carrying 186 passengers, subsequently resumed its journey to Liverpool.
Official statements
In a statement originally issued in Spanish, the air traffic controller said: 'Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations.'
An easyJet spokesperson confirmed the plane 'returned to the airport and was met by police due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively. The flight then continued to Liverpool.'
The carrier added: 'Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time. We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour towards our staff. The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.'
Air traffic control account
Air traffic control further explained: 'The crew of the flight from Tenerife South to Liverpool, after about 30 minutes of flight, informed us that they needed to return to the airport and requested police presence upon arrival. A group of about 10 passengers had started a fight on board, and the captain decided to return due to the danger it posed to the safety of the flight. We expedited their return as much as possible while coordinating with the airport for police presence. They landed and cleared runway 07 without incident.'
