AJet2 flight from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England, was forced to divertto Brussels on Thursday after two passengers became involved in a violent midair fight. The incident prompted police intervention and has led to both travellers being banned from flying with the airline for life.
According to the airline, the altercation occurred mid-flight and involved two men exchanging blows. Other passengers reportedly attempted to intervene to break up the fight. The cause of the dispute has not been confirmed.
The airline described the behaviour of the passengers as 'appalling' and confirmed that the two individuals were offloaded by Belgian police in Brussels before the flight resumed its journey to Manchester.
Ascited by NBC News, Jet2 issued a statement highlighting its zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour. The airline confirmed that it would pursue the two passengers to recover the costs incurred as a result of the diversion.
'"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,' the airline said. '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.'
Jet2 is known for its budget-friendly servicesand last year gained attention with the viral 'Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday' jingle. The airline emphasised that passenger safety and comfort remain a top priority, and incidents of this nature are taken extremely seriously.
Videos of the midair brawl have circulated online, showing the two men fighting before other passengers become involved. In one video, passengers can be heard urging the men to stop.
Footage from a brawl on a Jet 2 flight from Turkey to the UK, which was diverted following an altercation between passengers. Full report below"Jet2 flight from Turkey to the UK was diverted to Belgium on February 12, after a violent altercation erupted between passengers.The...pic.twitter.com/Bup9IcPNcS
Eyewitness accounts describe the scene as chaotic, with passengers expressing shock and concern. Many social media users questioned how such an incident could occur mid-flight and called for stricter measures against disruptive passengers.
While the identities of the passengers have not been publicly released, the airline confirmed that both are now permanently banned from Jet2 flights.
Source: International Business Times UK
