Chaos in the Skies: Ryanair Flight Diverted After Drunken Passenger Tries to Open Door Mid-Flight
What should have been a typical low-cost flight from London to the Spanish coast descended into fear and chaos last Friday when a drunken outburst on board led to an emergency landing and a dramatic police intervention. The Ryanair flight, en route to Alicante from London Luton, was forced to divert to Toulouse after a British passenger allegedly attempted to open the aircraft’s emergency exit at 30,000 feet.
The man — identified by authorities as a father and the central figure in a rowdy stag group — now faces a potential five-year prison sentence in France for endangering the safety of an aircraft, a serious criminal offense under French aviation law.
Witnesses say the group had been drinking excessively even before boarding and continued to behave erratically once in the air. What started as loud laughter and seat-swapping soon escalated into verbal abuse, physical altercations, and eventually, an alleged attempt to interfere with the aircraft’s emergency systems.
“He was seated by the exit and appeared to be trying to pull at the door,” one investigator told reporters. “It caused immediate panic among the passengers, and the captain made the call to land without delay.”
Passengers recounted scenes of shouting, seat-kicking, and even physical aggression. Parents pleaded with the group to mind their language around children, while others reportedly endured spitting and passengers placing their feet on headrests. One woman was reportedly struck in the head during the chaos.
The plane was met on the tarmac at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport by France’s elite air transport police unit, the Compagnie de Gendarmerie des Transports Aériens (CGTA). Armed officers boarded the aircraft and quickly detained the main suspect along with four other individuals linked to the incident. Video captured by fellow passengers showed applause breaking out as the disruptive group was removed from the plane.
Due to the man’s high level of intoxication, police delayed formal questioning for several hours. His blood alcohol level, sources said, was significantly over the legal limit. He remains in French custody and is under formal judicial investigation.
“The crew handled the situation with professionalism and restraint,” said CGTA Commander Ludovic Fornari. “Given the potential risks involved, the response needed to be swift and decisive.”
The remainder of the passengers were allowed to continue their journey, with the flight resuming its route to Alicante less than an hour after the unscheduled landing.
Ryanair issued a strong statement following the incident, denouncing the group’s behavior as “unacceptable and dangerous” and reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on disruptive passengers.
French aviation authorities have warned of an increasing trend in in-flight incidents involving alcohol. According to the DGAC, incidents involving intoxicated passengers rose by over 30% between 2021 and 2024. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has previously called for tighter regulation of alcohol sales in airports and stricter enforcement of airline conduct policies.
Under French law, attempting to compromise the safety of a flight carries a prison term of up to five years and a fine equivalent to £60,000. Simply being intoxicated aboard an aircraft can lead to a separate sentence of up to two years.
Conclusion
A stag weekend gone awry has left one man facing serious legal consequences and reignited concerns about the growing problem of disruptive behavior in the air. With lives potentially placed at risk and international authorities now involved, this incident underscores the urgent need for stronger preventive measures — and serves as a clear reminder that reckless behavior has no place at 30,000 feet.