A Jet2 flight from Antalya, Turkey to London Gatwick was forced to make an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, this week after a drunk passenger unleashed racist and homophobic abuse, threatened the cabin crew, and attempted to open the aircraft door mid-flight. The disruptive behaviour caused serious disturbances on board and raised major safety concerns.
Racist Rage Mid-air
The unnamed man repeatedly shouted racial insults, including, “I’ll smash your black jaw, you pr1ck,” towards another passenger. His aggressive behaviour escalated quickly, causing alarm and panic among passengers and crew.
Violence Breaks Out
During the chaotic incident, a female passenger in her 60s was accidentally punched amid the struggle to restrain the attacker. Several other passengers became involved trying to calm the situation before it was brought under control.
Emergency Landing In Bulgaria
The pilot diverted the plane to Sofia two hours into the flight to ensure the safety of everyone on board. Authorities removed the disruptive passenger on landing to prevent further risk.
Jet2 Takes Action
Jet2 has permanently banned the man and his wife, who was also disruptive, from flying with the airline. The company is campaigning for a national database to block banned passengers from travelling across all UK airlines in the future.
