A Ryanair flight, designated FR2100, experienced a significant disruption while en route to Corfu from Manchester Airport on the afternoon of 29 April. The aircraft, a Boeing 737, took off at approximately 5.30pm and was expected to land in Corfu at 10.40pm. However, the flight was diverted to Bologna, Italy, due to the actions of two disruptive passengers.
Upon arrival in Bologna, police were on standby and promptly removed the passengers in question. Reports indicate that the situation escalated into a confrontation between the two individuals onboard, who had opted to change seats in order to sit next to each other. Footage captured by bystanders shows one woman being escorted off the plane by law enforcement, during which she appeared to resist attempts to apprehend her.
The flight resumed its journey to Corfu afterwards, ultimately landing at 1.47am local time—around three hours later than scheduled. A spokesperson for Ryanair confirmed the incident, stating, "This flight from Manchester to Corfu was forced to divert to Bologna after two passengers became disruptive onboard." The spokesperson also highlighted the airline's "strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct," emphasising its commitment to maintaining safety and respect for all passengers and crew.
This incident follows a previous disruption on a Ryanair flight flying from Agadir, Morocco, to Manchester, where a disruptive passenger led to a diversion to Faro, Portugal. In that circumstance, although the troublesome individual was removed, the subsequent logistical issues left passengers stranded overnight as replacement aircraft were not allowed to operate under directives from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Ryanair DAC chief executive Eddie Wilson expressed frustration over the situation, characterising the disruption as "utter bull****."
The aircraft involved in the Agadir incident operates under a subsidiary titled Ryanair UK, which was established post-Brexit to facilitate flights between the UK and non-EU destinations. A technical issue emerged with the replacement aircraft intended for the stranded passengers, further complicating the situation. The CAA subsequently provided a statement urging UK airlines to establish robust contingency plans to reduce passenger impact in the event of such unexpected challenges. They noted the ongoing awareness of Ryanair regarding the stipulations required to operate flights from the UK successfully, citing that insufficient aircraft were allocated to meet operational demands effectively.
As part of ongoing discussions about the future of flight operations post-Brexit, the situation highlights the complex dynamics at play for airlines navigating regulatory frameworks, operational logistics, and passenger expectations.
Source: Noah Wire Services