Smoking passengers start fight on TUI flight forcing an emergency landing
British holidaymakers returning from a sunny break in Cancun, Mexico, were unexpectedly diverted to the chillier climes of Maine, USA, after two unruly passengers sparked chaos by refusing to extinguish their cigarettes and beginning in a brawl.
The captain of the transatlantic TUI service bound for London Gatwick had no choice but to execute an emergency landing on Tuesday when two individuals were caught "smoking in the toilet."
Despite a strict no-smoking policy on UK flights for over 30 years, the defiant duo continued to flout the rules, ignoring the pilot's ultimatum to land the aircraft if they persisted.
Frustrated travellers aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner told the New York Post how the disruptive smokers, believed to be a couple, escalated their antics into a physical confrontation. "They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner," one passenger recounted.
Consequently, all 267 passengers from Cancun found themselves making an unplanned stop in Bangor, Maine. The flight's audio captures the pilot informing air traffic control: "Cockpit is secure, and there's two passengers fighting, and the crew has pretty much gotten them under control."
In a matter of minutes, the flight was rerouted, and by 9.30pm, the TUI aircraft was grounded in Maine, with local authorities promptly removing the troublesome pair from the plane.
However, the ordeal was far from over for their fellow travellers, who were left stranded in Bangor for an unplanned overnight stay before they could secure another flight back home.
The transatlantic leg of their journey didn't commence until 3pm on Wednesday, with passengers finally touching down at Gatwick later that day.
Remarkably, the two disruptive passengers managed to evade charges from US Customs and Border Protection officials, who opted to send them home on separate flights.
A representative for the border force explained: "This incident involved a foreign-to-foreign flight that was diverted due to an in-flight altercation between two passengers.
"Upon arrival, CBP officers removed both individuals from the aircraft. Although no criminal charges were filed, CBP processed the two subjects for expedited removal."
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