Drunk Jet2 passenger pleads guilty after forcing plane to turn around

What was intended to be a straightforward flight between Leeds and Alicante devolved into an aerial nightmare. A intoxicated British passenger triggered an emergency landing barely eight minutes after takeoff, delaying the arrival of dozens of travellers expected to land on the Costa Blanca by hours.

A Leeds Crown Court heard that Matthew Taylor, 30, boarded a Jet2 flight on August 18th while plainly intoxicated and stunned the crew by proposing to Brooke Crossley, the flight attendant. The seemingly bizarre incident was only the beginning of a remarkable trip.

Threats and screams in mid-air

Taylor refused to remain seated for the first few minutes of the trip, fastening his seatbelt and confronting the flight attendants. “You can’t tell me what to do,” he said, his eyes reddening and his chest blowing out, according to the prosecution report.

His demeanour deteriorated, and he began berating other passengers while disregarding the crew’s warnings. At one point, he said, “Get ready for World War III,” instilling terror in the families travelling to Alicante.

The situation became untenable, and after discussing with the captain via intercom—an unprecedented choice only eight minutes into the flight—the crew chose to turn back and return to Leeds-Bradford Airport.

Applause after being evicted

Upon landing, multiple police officers boarded the plane and apprehended Taylor to the passengers’ acclaim. One of the passengers exclaimed, “See you later, kid!”

The incident caused a more than four-hour delay in flight LS491’s departure to Alicante, leaving dozens of holidaymakers trapped on the ground, ready to begin their Costa Blanca holiday.

Trial and Sanction

Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of drunkenly boarding an aeroplane, which carries a maximum jail penalty of two years. The sentence will be revealed on September 29th at Leeds Crown Court.

For its part, Jet2 has confirmed that the passenger has been banned from flying with the company for six months . “We have a zero tolerance policy for disruptive behaviour on our flights,” claimed a company representative.

Author: Derek Appleton