Airline sues passenger after they forced them to land 1,400 miles away from their destination
An airline is suing one of their passengers after their bad behaviour forced them to land miles away from their destination.
Even if you aren't afraid of flying, it can be a stressful experience for all involved. From making sure you get to the airport on time to remembering the passports, that's only half of the battle. You still have to contend with delays, adverse weather, or even whole cancelations that could leave you sleeping on an airport floor overnight.
It sometimes leaves you asking what the point of going away is, and to be honest, it's probably simpler to stay at home.
There are plenty of horror stories about passengers suing airlines over journeys from hell or poor service, but what if the shoe is on the other foot?
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Yes, it's possible for an airline to sue you for your own actions - especially when it leads to a 1,400-mile detour. Irish airline Ryanair is known for its budget flights, with passengers in the United Kingdom often scooping up a bargain break for a week in the sun. Unfortunately, one passenger could be paying a lot more than the cost of their seat after the airline filed a case against them.
It comes after Flight FR7124 was forced to make an emergency landing in Portugal's Porto on April 9, 2024. The problem is, the plane was destined for the Canary Islands and was some 1,400 miles short of its final destination.
The plane was delayed overnight, and with passengers losing a day of the holiday, Ryanair is now looking for one disruptive passenger to foot the bill.
Seeking damages of £12,500 ($15,300), Ryanair's official site refers to the 'inexcusable behaviour' that caused the plane to divert and affected 160 passengers.
Ryanair adds: "It is completely unacceptable that passengers who work hard to enjoy a trip away with family/friends are robbed of the pleasure due to one passenger’s failure to behave."
The airline says it has a 'zero tolerance' policy when it comes to passenger misconduct, saying it's "committed to ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers."
A spokesperson for the airline concluded: "It is unacceptable that passengers – many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing Summer holiday – are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger’s behaviour.
"Yet this was regrettably the case for passengers on this flight from Dublin to Lanzarote last April, which was forced to divert to Porto as a result of an individual passenger’s disruptive behaviour, causing €15,000 in overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs.
“We have now filed civil proceedings to recover these costs from this passenger."
The lawsuit comes after Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary called for a 'two-drink' limit on pre-flight antics in the airport. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph in August 2024, O'Leary explained: "We don't want to begrudge people having a drink. But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000ft."
O'Leary says that flights from the UK and Ireland are the most likely to be hit with disruption due to them heading to party destinations like Ibiza. Even though it's not always possible to police passengers before they board, Ryanair has taken to searching hand luggage on some flights before they're allowed to board.
Ryanair reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance in December 2024, welcoming a decision by Greek courts to give one disruptive passenger a five-month suspended sentence and a $400 after they refused to follow crew instructions.