A Jet2 flight from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England, diverted to Brussels, Belgium, following a violent altercation between two passengers at 30,000 feet.
Details of the Disturbance
The incident unfolded when one passenger, who had been drinking and making racist comments, grew aggressive toward cabin crew over cigarettes. The confrontation escalated after he attempted to seize another man’s phone, which was playing music at high volume. Video footage captured the fight in the aisle, with bystanders screaming amid the chaos.
Witnesses reported seeing blood and teeth on the floor, describing the scene as highly distressing.
Eyewitness Accounts
One passenger called it one of the most traumatic experiences on a flight. A witness stated: “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 account continued, noting the man became confrontational, intimidating, and directed openly racist remarks toward nearby Pakistani passengers.
Airline Response
Jet2 confirmed details about flight LS896, explaining the diversion stemmed from the disruptive behavior of two passengers. Police in Brussels removed both individuals from the aircraft, allowing the flight to proceed to Manchester.
The airline announced a lifetime ban for the pair and plans to recover diversion costs. Jet2 emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for such conduct, stating: “As a family-friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behavior, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too.”
