AN easyJet flight bound for Liverpool was forced to turn back to Tenerife after a brawl erupted on board.
The aircraft landed back at Tenerife South Airport at around 9.15pm on Tuesday after around 10 passengers became involved in a mid-air scuffle just 30 minutes into the flight.
The captain decided to turn the plane around ‘because of the danger this posed to the safety of the flight,’ Spanish air traffic controllers said in a statement, adding they had requested ‘a police presence’ upon landing.
“Our full support goes to the crews and passengers who are having to endure these situations more and more often,” the statement concluded.
It remains unclear whether any of the passengers involved in the fight were arrested, or how many of them were British.
Flight EZY3352, which departed Tenerife shortly before 8pm, eventually arrived in Liverpool at 2.20am on Wednesday – around two hours behind schedule, according to flight trackers.
The father of a British woman on board disputed the official account, claiming on social media there had been no brawl.
“My daughter is on this flight,” he wrote.
“A family with kids got escorted off the plane. No fighting at all.”
However, an easyJet spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday: “Flight EZY3352 from Tenerife to Liverpool yesterday returned to the airport and was met by police due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively.
“The flight then continued to its final destination.
“Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.
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“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.”
One Spaniard reacting to the news on social media said: “I’m amazed by the number of flights departing from or arriving in the UK that experience security problems like this. What a disgrace.”
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