UK leisure airline Jet2 has banned a disruptive passenger from its flights for life and billed her for £85,000 ($105,000) in costs.
The carrier cites an incident on a 22 June flight to Dalaman which was diverted back to London Stansted. The Royal Air Force scrambled two Eurofighter Typhoons to escort the aircraft.
Jet2, owned by Dart Group, says the passenger “displayed a catalogue of aggressive, abusive and dangerous behaviour on the aircraft”, including an attempt to open the doors during flight.
The sonic boom created by the RAF fighters as they rushed to the aircraft alarmed local residents, the airline notes.
Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy describes the episode as “one of the most serious cases of disruptive passenger behaviour that we have experienced”. He states that the passenger “must now face up to the consequences of her actions”, adding: “We will vigorously pursue to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this divert, as we do with all disruptive passengers.”
Heapy said Jet2 wanted the incident to serve as a warning to others.
“As a family-friendly airline, we take an absolutely zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour, and we hope that this sobering incident, with its very serious consequences, provides a stark warning to others who think that they can behave in this fashion.”
Source: Cirium Dashboard
