Diversion Disaster: Twice in One Week, Ryanair Flights To Tenerife Descend Into Chaos

Two Ryanair flights operating the same route both had to divert because of onboard fights within the past week.

On Ryanair’s flight 2969 from Edinburgh to Tenerife, chaos erupted two hours into the journey when passengers became embroiled in a violent altercation, hurling insults and bottles at each other. The cabin crew, struggling to maintain control, witnessed terrified children crying amidst the turmoil.

As the situation escalated, the flight was diverted to Porto, Portugal, for an emergency landing, where police awaited to escort the disruptive passengers off the aircraft. This incident delayed the flight’s continuation to the Canary Islands by two hours, earning it the label “worst flight of my life” from a passenger.

Then another Ryanair flight Edinburgh to Tenerife also wound up diverting to Porto when three intoxicated passengers started a loud and aggressive brawl that included screaming, attempting to fight, and hitting other passengers who intervened. Flight attendants faced significant challenges in attempting to calm the situation, due to the drunken melee.

And that’s… pretty much what you get on a flight of holiday-goers taking Ryanair to Tenerife.

(HT: Paul H)

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. A new type of flight attendant needs to be created. Called the enforcer, the new type would be modeled after hockey enforcers and maybe given shortened hockey sticks. The terms of carriage could be modified to having the passengers consent to any enforcing action that the enforcer takes.

  2. Scotlands finest trailer trash being allowed abroad, and probably 6 pints+ in before boarding there ryanair $19.95, 3.5hr flight.

    UK airport authority atvblame…its all about bar sales inside the terminal and not my problem once they leave for there fight, I meant flight.

  3. @LadyOlives
    “Isn’t Tenerife where the lowest of the low class people go?”
    You mean the British? Yeah, that’s them!

  4. PRECISELY why we don’t board intox pax; AA even has an inhibitor for check-in which prevents pax from checking in online or at the kiosk for their rebooked flight. INTX

  5. So, comments from people who have actually been to Tenerife are welcome.
    I just returned to Canada after five weeks there. And had a great time. My wife and I have been there 4 times in the last 4 years. We love it

    We do not fly Ryanair.

  6. Tenerife as a destination isn’t so much the issue as alcohol consumption patterns and civility standards aren’t uniform across all routes and demographic groups that head to that area. A cheap charter flight from Scandinavia to Tenerife is less likely to have this kind of thing happen than a flight from British airports. And it’s not just a Ryanair or LCC thing.

  7. In related news, a merger between Spirit and RyanAir was announced this morning.

    Said Spirit CEO “we see great synergies with the RyanAir passenger base, especially with our new ‘open bar’ concepr starting next month”

  8. A booze fueled fight on a budget airline? That’s almost a dog-bites-man story. Now, show me a couple of senior citizens fighting in first class!

  9. Thing 1 simply wants to note that no Floridian, American, or person named Karen was involved in this incident.

  10. Come from behind and slip a belt around the perp’s neck. Quickly Drop perp to floor and pull tight. he’ll be out like a light soon enough. If perp’s neck doesn’t snap, under such case perp will out permanently. Pitch perp out the door onto tarmac and then be on your merry way.

  11. I’ve seen this behaviour on the BA from LGW to LAS, people were already drunk before boarding, somehow allowed to board and started fighting after drinking more in economy. No diversion though, just some scared passengers moved into WT+.

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