Thomas Cook passenger arrested after mid-air punch up
A Thomas Cook Airlines flight heading to Fuerteventura in Spain was forced to return to Manchester after a fight broke out between a passenger and his father.
Flight FL290 had just taken off when the two began a heated argument which allegedly became physical, with punches being thrown. Five cabin crew and passengers restrained the pair while the pilot returned the aircraft to Manchester.
It was forced to circle the airport to burn fuel, before landing 80 minutes after take-off. A male passenger, in his 50s, was arrested and has since been released on police bail. The passenger’s father also left the flight.
A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said: "We have a zero tolerance policy towards disruptive and aggressive behaviour. We’d like to thank the other passengers onboard for their patience and understanding, and are pleased that their flight was able to depart with minimal delay."
The incident caused the flight to be delayed almost four hours.
By Linsey McNeill
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
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