Jet2 flight from Turkey to United Kingdom makes emergency Brussels landing after ‘racist’ mid-flight brawl
A routine flight turned volatile after an alleged racist outburst escalated into a violent aisle brawl at 30,000 feet.
A mid-air brawl that forced a Jet2 flight to make an emergency landing is the latest flashpoint in a growing crackdown on disruptive passenger behaviour across global aviation.
Two passengers were removed by police after a violent altercation broke out in the aisle of a flight travelling from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, UK. The disturbance escalated to such an extent that the aircraft diverted to Brussels, where authorities boarded the plane and escorted the pair off.
Footage of the confrontation, which reportedly lasted more than 15 minutes, shows punches being thrown as other travellers shout and plead for calm. At one point, additional passengers appear to become entangled in the chaos, with one man lunging forward to grab another person’s mobile phone before reaching toward the face of a passenger seated ahead.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.While the precise trigger for the altercation remains unclear, a witness told The Sun the situation deteriorated rapidly.
Describing what unfolded, the “shaken up” passenger said that “what should have been a straightforward journey” turned into one of the most “distressing experiences” they had ever endured.
The witness claimed an allegedly inebriated man began “making racist remarks” from his seat before tensions escalated.
“Although he had been drinking on the flight, he was fully aware of his surroundings, knew exactly what he was saying, and was oriented throughout,” the unnamed traveller said.
According to the account, the situation intensified when the man was “unable to purchase cigarettes,” after which he became aggressive toward crew members and other passengers.
The witness claimed he then “became confrontational, intimidating and openly racist toward the Pakistani passengers around him.”
“At one point it became very physical,” the eyewitness recalled.
“Passengers were distressed. People were frightened. The atmosphere turned chaotic.”
The severity of the incident prompted the diversion to Belgium, disrupting travel plans for all onboard.
Jet2 confirmed both passengers were permanently banned following the episode.
“They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester,” the airline said in the statement, as reported by NBC News.
“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 on board had to experience this too.”
Airlines globally have increasingly adopted zero-tolerance policies in response to a surge in unruly behaviour since pandemic-era travel resumed. Diversions, police interventions and lifetime bans have become more common as carriers attempt to deter mid-air misconduct.
Emergency landings can cost tens of thousands in fuel, crew hours and airport charges and expenses. Airlines are now more willing to recover directly from offenders.
