Has anyone experienced police meeting a flight after disruptive passengers?

[Policeontheplane]

Has anyone experienced police on a plane?

Yesterday our flight was eventful. Some drunk people moved themselves to the empty seats in front of me and produced to drink a litre of vodka which they then dropped in front of staff. The staff removed their passports, cue their bad language getting worse. It was all made worse by the drunk man behind me deciding to egg them on. At some point of the guys in front of me apparently threatened another passenger. Air steward told pliot who presumably contacted police. As we were landing the drunk guys in front of us had a big falling out and one got out of his seat, took his suitcase out of the overhead locker and ended up swapping seat.

When we landed everyone was told to return to seats and the air steward told the man who had threatened a passenger to get his bags and escorted him off first - not sure what hapened. I suspect police were waiting for him. Other drunk passengers were just allowed to leave.

Has anyone had experience of this? Will any of them be barred from flying on the airline.

No, although I’ve seen police come and take someone off a plane before it departed. They weren’t drunk.

When it comes to flying, I’d like to see airlines and airports be tougher before it gets so extreme. I’ve seen one of a party who were all denied boarding because he was verbally threatening others waiting to board. They should all have been sent away as the others were just as drunk. Worse, I was waiting at a gate surrounded by pissed, chanting football fans once. I’m.a nervous flyer (ironically, I like a drink on board to calm my nerves!) and was terrified about getting on a plane with them. Thankfully, another flight was called and they all left - some men had to be dragged by mates as they couldn’t walk - but I was astonished to see that not one was even questioned about their drinking by the gate staff.

There is a lot airlines could do without banning alcohol outright, but they only seem to act when aggression is involved.

But as such activity can endanger a fully laden aircraft and result in diversions (disruptive and expensive), l would argue that a sledgehammer is needed. It’s not like ordering someone off a bus at the next stop.

The problem is getting worse. Both airline staff and passengers have the right to travel without this.

Berlin airport - Ryanair flight.
One guy would not stop talking over the safety briefing. The steward repeatedly asked him to stop, and the passenger got argumentative and moderately insulting to the steward. The steward went to the cockpit, the plane turned around mid-taxi and went back to the terminal. The passenger was told to get off and when he refused two German policemen came and frogmarched him off.
Tbh, he didn’t seem particularly drunk. Just argumentative.

Had an incident coming back from Greece this year. A group of young guys came to the airport straight from the club. One was throwing up into the bin whilst we were checking in. The plane was then delayed and another passenger got pissed off with their behaviour and was threatening to thump them. The crew intervened and moved people around. I suspect by the time we eventually departed, everyone had sobered up.

I have also been on a flight to Amsterdam with a massive stag group on who were drunk. Fortunately, there was a lot of turbulence, so after one of them screamed like a 5 year old girl at the first bump, no more was heard from them.

I have also been on a flight where someone was met by Police on landing, but it wasn't for drunkeness.

Many years ago I flew from London to Cancun and a rowdy group on the plane were met by the police when we landed (I think for smoking in the toilets).

I go to Spain on city breaks fairly regularly. I would avoid the later day flights from Alicante at all costs now after a dreadful flight home. Drunk, rough, sweaty families and badly behaved children. I’m not a snob, I’ve been to Benidorm several times, the Old town is lovely and it’s a base for travelling to other areas, but I wish I had a private plane at times!

Yes a few times (travel regularly to a ‘party’ destination

it brings me great joy when it happens!!!!

The worse stuff I've seen is on trains with drunk football fans.

I was once on a plane to Bangkok with a famous Spanish flamenco singer sitting in the seat in front. The crew just left the drinks trolley out as it was a night flight and he just helped himself. He was fairly pissed but didn't cause any trouble. I don't think they mind a passenger being pissed as long as they behave.

Drunken passengers or party destinations?

Never seen the police take someone off but years ago, coming back from Kos with Thomas Cook (on my first and last package holiday) a woman in front of us (who had got on the plane drunk and got drunker and drunker) as we were descending in to Gatwick decided to get up and walk around the plane.

The crew shouted at her to sit down and she refused and started screaming at the crew and trying to run towards the front of the plane as she said she wanted the loo and was going to piss herself. In the end they restrained her by tying her to the seat and sitting with her and we landed with her screaming abuse and flailing around.

My last encounter with really drink passengers was on that normal haven of calm, the Eurostar. We were on an early morning train to Brussels and there was a large stag party in our carriage who were already steaming drunk.

They decided to spread out in aisle and were playing sort of drinking game involving running up and down and throwing a ball. Ons of them nearly knocked my flying as I returned from the buffet car with two cups of hot tea. So I reported them to the train manager, a very stern middle aged French man, who made it very clear if they did not behave the train would stop at the next available stop and they would be ejected.

Exactly!! I always have a prosecco during a flight but i have never ever drank continuously during a flight.

I was on a flight and a drunk guy was repeatedly smoking in the toilet and refused to give his cigarettes and lighter to the cabin crew. He was escorted off in cuffs by the police when the plane landed.

Yes, many times, in flights between London and Alicante. Usually on a Friday night, stag/hen groups but also in early flights / mature people.

Police usually wait at the door and crew tells them who the culprit is (so they are not aware of the police waiting for them) but in a couple of occasions police had to actually enter the plane.

Been told it also happens in flights to Ibiza and Malaga but the route to Alicante it’s my usual one.

I had a frightening experience with a group of drunk 70+ old guys in an early morning Flybe flight from Exeter to Alicante many years ago. I think the police detained all of them, 10 or 12 upon landing in Alicante. The crew was great but two of them ended crying once the police got them.

Oh! And an unplanned landing at Toulouse-Blagnac airport (Luton to Alicante route, pre Covid) to disembark (gendarmerie present) a group of hen do ladies who were incredibly drunk and trying to snog every single male aboard. It delayed arrival to Alicante by 4 hours!
Don’t know if they were detained or not, but the gendarmes escorted them to a coach.

Can’t edit now but just remembered it was Bristol to Alicante.

Yes, I've experienced it on a flight to Schiphol. I wasn't sitting near the drunk passengers but the whole plane could hear them. When we landed we were told to remain seated. Flight attendants explained that we had to wait for police to board the plane. The disruptive passengers were taken off and they were to be returned to the UK and not allowed to enter the Netherlands. No idea whether they were banned, charged with anything or who paid for their flights back.

I've only seen someone drink once on a plane. They weren't aggressive, just irritating. I think it's crazy that alcohol is sold on planes and in airports. There ought to be a ban on drinking on a plane. I can't see the appeal of drinking alcohol on a plane anyway.

No, but have had armed Police come onto our plane at Heathrow and escort some passengers off. This was flying from Kingston, Jamaica.

There were no consequences when someone had been vaping in the toilets on a flight from Bodrum this year. They just closed that particular toilet for the rest of the flight. The Captain said he was disappointed on the PA and that was it.

I have posted ip thread about the problems that can be caused. l sit on the fence as someone who flies long-haul for work and enjoys a glass of wine with my meal. I am not condoning in flight binge drinking though. Some factual (as opposed to opinionated) points.

Alcohol sales in airports is a big money earner and most airports are operated by private companies who rent out their bar space at a premium.

In flight alcohol sales are supposed to be monitored by the cabin crew. Interestingly, in Australia, in flight sales of alcohol are banned across domestic flights within New South Wales.

I must be lucky in my 30 odd years of frequent flying, never seen a single incident like those described. Only very well behaved passengers.

I think because the vast majority of passengers are normal and should not be prevented from buying a bottle of alcohol at the airport because a tiny minority are idiotic.

Yes. On a flight to the Dominican Republic. Someone got drunk, shouting at the crew, threatening & lashing out. Once they seated him, BA got the captain out & do some sort of seat arrest. But basically he was read a script which included telling him if he even so much as made another sound they’d divert to the nearest airport, and they’d be personally liable for all costs etc. When we landed, the captain asked we remain seated & the police boarded to remove them. We had police cars waiting on the tarmac. As soon as they were arrested everyone clapped & started saying ‘bye then’ 😂 (British humour). The crew were very professional but you realise how vulnerable you are when you’re mid flight.

I've been on a few flights where people have kicked off abut the seat in front of them going back - these are long-haul night flights and after the meal has been served. Not to the point of arrests but it's got very nasty a handful of times. Once I had a French couple scream abuse at me and kick the back of my seat because I'd put my seat back (the guy in front of me had put his back) lights were dimmed. Luckily the crew were able to move them, were very apologetic to me and when I disembarked gave me the leftover wine from first class. But now if at all possible I fly business purely to avoid the aggro.

BTW I'm sure some people here will say you should NEVER put your seat back but I say long-haul at night there's a reason seats recline.

@JustMyView13

. But basically he was read a script

Makes sense, Some airlines often have a standard warning (copies carried onboard) which if circumstances allow can be read to a disruptive passenger - basically behave or we will handcuff you etc.

Have to be honest and say I'm surprised the captain or any of the other flight crew got directly involved if this was post 9/11 and inflight.