Holidaymakers onboard an easyJet flight from the UK to the Canary Islands have been caught up in disruption involving 12 passengers. The incident happened on Thursday (June 11) when the plane was flying from London Gatwick to Tenerife.
Full details are still emerging but it is known that the flight had to speed up its landing because of the situation. Air traffic controllers have confirmed 12 disruptive passengers were involved and the matter was so serious that the pilots had to call in help. On their X site, they confirmed: “By the dozens!”
The crew of the flight from Gatwick arriving in South Tenerife said that they had 12 problematic passengers on board. They requested the presence of the police when the plane touched down on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport.
It is understood the officers boarded the plane to proceed with the identification of those involved. The alert went off in mid-flight when the crew of the aircraft contacted the control tower.
In order to guarantee the safety of the passengers and end the tense situation in the air as soon as possible, the air traffic controllers proceeded to prioritise the arrival of the aircraft.
“We cut the manoeuvre as much as possible,” explained the controllers, a usual measure that speeds up the direct descent to the Tenerife South runway (Reina Sofía).
The plane was able to land safely and without incident. It is not yet known if the 12 people were arrested or warned.
However, air traffic controllers have become increasingly strict about such passenger behaviour. The 12 could be facing court action, fines or even been banned from entering Tenerife.