Inflight brawl forced Ryanair flight for emergency landing in Faro, Portugal.


Key Points:

  • A Ryanair flight en route from Edinburgh to the Canary Islands was forced to make an emergency landing due to a violent altercation between two family members.

  • The plane was diverted midair and landed in Faro, Portugal, where the disruptive passengers were escorted off by local police.

  • Ryanair expressed apologies to affected passengers for the inconvenience, confirming the flight later safely continued its journey.

EDINBURGH — A family dispute spiraled into violence on a Ryanair flight, compelling the pilot to take emergency action. Originating in Edinburgh, Scotland, the plane was bound for the Canary Islands when two inebriated family members became physically aggressive, reports from the Canarian Weekly and the Scottish Sun confirmed.

This altercation led the pilot to divert the flight and execute an emergency landing in Faro, Portugal, a location approximately 900 miles from the original route. The plane's landing was anticipated by Faro police, who promptly escorted the quarrelling men off the aircraft.

According to statements from local authorities relayed by the Canarian Weekly, the disruptive passengers were removed as per the flight commander's decision. They were then identified to compile an official police report. However, police emphasized that while the incident was serious, it posed no threat to the aircraft or its passengers' safety.

After handling the situation, the flight resumed its journey to the Canary Islands, reaching its destination an hour later than originally scheduled. While the specifics of the men's dispute remain unknown, it was verified by the police that they belong to the same family.

Ryanair, when approached by the Canarian Weekly, disclosed that the diversion was necessitated by a handful of passengers who displayed unruly behavior during the flight. The statement added, "Crew members preemptively sought police assistance. Consequently, with local police intervention, the disruptive passengers were deboarded, and the flight subsequently proceeded securely to Gran Canaria."

The airline concluded its statement by expressing regret to its customers, saying, "We deeply regret the inconvenience inflicted upon our passengers due to the misconduct of these individuals."