Page 2 | Passenger escorted onto plane by armed officers

latesummerreminiscing · 2025-08-30T18:34:27+00:00

I took a flight from Germany to the UK yesterday and noticed at the gate were two armed officers waiting with a paper document at the gate. Then, that particular passenger was escorted onto the plane before anyone else, by both officers, they filled out paperwork before the rest were allowed onto the flight. No police were not with him on the flight though. He was in the front seat and very calm during the flight. What on earth was this about?? Lots of people were really worried

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 31/08/2025 21:53

MaidOfSteel · 30/08/2025 19:49

Probably just refused entry to the UK on arrival. They get taken into the aircraft to make sure they’re on it, I imagine.

I agree this is the most likely explanation.

Beachtastic · 31/08/2025 21:35

Marmite27 · 31/08/2025 21:20

It may prove difficult though, seeing as though she’s dead…

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So she is!!!!!!!! I'm not very good at celebrities 🤡

InterIgnis · 31/08/2025 21:32

Overseas U.S military personnel that have been court martialled and sentenced to imprisonment are transferred to the U.S on commercial flights in this way.

Berlinlover · 31/08/2025 21:30

I saw this when I was flying from Munich to Sarajevo a few years ago. I just assumed the passenger didn’t have the correct documents to enter the EU.

notimagain · 31/08/2025 21:26

Mia184 · 31/08/2025 20:47

I am German and the police here are always armed - by British standards probably quite heavily.

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Agreed..the UK is a bit of an outlier.

For example.the French equivalent of Uk Border Force is the Police aux frontieres ("PAF") and their officers carry sidearms as a matter of routine, even when stuck in booths doing routine passport checks.

It's not that unusual to see them airside, armed up, walking deportees to departure gates.

Maddy70 · 31/08/2025 21:23

Trendyname · 31/08/2025 18:21

Do Brits need visa to enter Germany?

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He may not have had a British passport.

Marmite27 · 31/08/2025 21:20

Beachtastic · 31/08/2025 20:32

This needs to be made into a movie starring Maggie Smith!

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It may prove difficult though, seeing as though she’s dead…

HollyGolightly4 · 31/08/2025 21:19

His passport has probably expired (6 months, or issued more than ten years ago) and easyJet let him fly. They don't care, they don't check properly, they get fined and the passenger has to fly home.

Check your passports folks.

IllBeLookingAtTheMoon · 31/08/2025 21:16

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fashionqueen0123 · 31/08/2025 21:16

JustPinkFinch · 30/08/2025 20:08

I sat next to a guy once on a flight from USA to UK who had been deported and put on the plane by armed officers of some description. We chatted. He had been in prison in the US (drugs) and was immediately deported on release. Had nothing on him, not even a passport, just some papers for the other end, and a small hold all with clothes. No phone. Next to no cash. No bank account or cards. Once we got to Heathrow I let him make some calls from my phone and helped him sort out train tickets up to Liverpool where a brother lived. He'd been in prison for years. It was all quite mad, he was totally lost and bewildered stood in Heathrow with just the clothes on his back.

Edited

That’s awful! Good job you could help him.

I once saw a prisoner presumably being taken from one jail to another in the USA on a plane, orange jumpsuit and shackles. Really seemed horrible. I mean I don’t know what crime he had committed but they do have harsher punishments there and it drew a lot of attention.

Gonners · 31/08/2025 21:14

SirBasil · 31/08/2025 20:58

Define "heavily armed"

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I suspect, as @Mia184 said, that just means "armed" as in carrying guns. Police in many European countries are "heavily armed" by UK standards.

ThistleTits · 31/08/2025 21:13

MaidOfSteel · 30/08/2025 19:49

Probably just refused entry to the UK on arrival. They get taken into the aircraft to make sure they’re on it, I imagine.

He was leaving Germany to the UK.

the5thgoldengirl · 31/08/2025 21:13

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SirBasil · 31/08/2025 20:58

latesummerreminiscing · 30/08/2025 19:36

How do you mean, like kicked out of the country? I thought it was so odd that the officers were heavily armed!

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Define "heavily armed"

LBFseBrom · 31/08/2025 20:53

The police were protecting the man, Why, we can only wonder but if he had been a danger to others, he'd have had an escorted journey all the way.

Gonners · 31/08/2025 20:50

@OneMintWasp That reminds me ... I worked for the army in Hannover for a couple of years in the mid-70s and one Easter weekend decided to go to Berlin, on the train. I got a terrific bollocking when I got back, on the grounds that the visa in my passport (which was obviously inspected by the East German border guards four times, in and out) showed that I was an employee of the British Forces.

I was duly contrite but thought it best not to mention that I had also been on a tour of East Berlin, so they'd had six looks at it! 😆

Mia184 · 31/08/2025 20:47

latesummerreminiscing · 30/08/2025 19:36

How do you mean, like kicked out of the country? I thought it was so odd that the officers were heavily armed!

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I am German and the police here are always armed - by British standards probably quite heavily.

notimagain · 31/08/2025 20:45

FeatheryFlorence · 31/08/2025 20:36

King’s Messenger accompanying diplomatic mail.

You think that's what the OP saw?

If so have to say I've never seen or heard of one boarded in that manner...

FeatheryFlorence · 31/08/2025 20:36

King’s Messenger accompanying diplomatic mail.

Beachtastic · 31/08/2025 20:32

OneMintWasp · 31/08/2025 18:11

My great aunt had this treatment once before when her employers (the military!) had messed up her Visa. A few decades ago now. She wasn't military herself, contracted by them, so was returning home on her own. She was effectively deported from the stop over airport by armed police. Handcuffed and marched on to the plane that she wanted to get on anyway! Once on the cuffs were removed. She said she stood at the front of the plane and told all the passengers what was going on because it was so humiliating.

Edited to say she was working in Germany a lot so could have been there.

Edited

This needs to be made into a movie starring Maggie Smith!

Beachtastic · 31/08/2025 20:27

JustPinkFinch · 30/08/2025 20:08

I sat next to a guy once on a flight from USA to UK who had been deported and put on the plane by armed officers of some description. We chatted. He had been in prison in the US (drugs) and was immediately deported on release. Had nothing on him, not even a passport, just some papers for the other end, and a small hold all with clothes. No phone. Next to no cash. No bank account or cards. Once we got to Heathrow I let him make some calls from my phone and helped him sort out train tickets up to Liverpool where a brother lived. He'd been in prison for years. It was all quite mad, he was totally lost and bewildered stood in Heathrow with just the clothes on his back.

Edited

Sounds like one of my ex-BFs 😜

Gonners · 31/08/2025 20:23

And they probably hung about outside the plane until it taxied away from the gate, to make sure he didn't get off!

notatinydancer · 31/08/2025 20:21

OfftoWorkIGo · 30/08/2025 19:40

I would have been keeping an eye on him myself! Surely if he was dangerous though the police would have stayed with him. On the other hand why did he have to be escorted on to the plane?

To make sure he got on.

SL2924 · 31/08/2025 20:20

I’d have crapped myself, OP. Seen con air enough times not to be taking any chances

AlleycatMarie · 31/08/2025 20:14

Very standard practice for someone denied entry to a country. Nothing to worry about.