Jet2 accused of heavy-handed response to onboard drinking
A nursery school teacher has accused Jet2 of heavy-handed behaviour after she was banned from a flight home from Crete for drinking miniature bottles of duty-free vodka on the outbound leg.
Xanthia Morrison, aged 34, was forced to pay £400 for another flight back to Glasgow after spending a week in Crete at her friend’s wedding.
Jet2 launched a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to drunken behaviour onboard its flights earlier this year, announcing that it would take action against rowdy passengers who disrupted its services.
However, Morrison claimed she and her friend were unaware they were breaking the airline’s rules by drinking their own alcohol onboard and that they surrendered the four miniatures of vodka they had bought in duty -free when they were spotted by a cabin crew member.
She and her friend were then handed a letter warning them police would be called if they did not co-operate, and they were asked for their passport details, but a crew member was caught on a recording released by Morrison to the Daily Mail reassuring the pair that no further action would be taken against them.
The crew member told Morrison and her friend only that they would be warned not to drink their own booze when they boarded their return flight.
In the recording made on a mobile, the crew member can be heard accepting the couple’s explanation that they weren’t aware of the BYO rules and urging them not to let the incident ruin their holiday.
But once in Crete, Morrison said she received a phone call from Jet2 to say she and her friend were barred from the return flight due to their ‘aggressive behaviour’. The airline accused them of continuing to drink their own alcohol despite the warning from staff, which she disputes.
"These allegations are completely untrue and, frankly, quite frightening," she said. "I can’t believe Jet2 staff can make up lies and leave customers stranded in a foreign country.
"We had to cut our holiday short and pay £400 for a new flight. This has put me off flying again."
A Jet2 spokesman told the Daily Mail: "Having carefully consulted the cabin crew report, we took the decision to refuse carriage for two customers returning from Crete to Glasgow.
"We understand Miss Morrison is unhappy with this. We have explained the actions taken by her party that have resulted in this decision. We take a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive behaviour on our flights."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026