By Laura Kemp • Published: 25 Jan 2022 • 17:12
Flight turns back after passengers cause "riot" and refuse to show tickets. Credit: InSapphoWeTrust flickr
Two unruly passengers aboard a United Airlines flight from New Jersey to Israel caused the plane to turn back after seating themselves in business class and refusing to show their tickets to staff. The flight turned back to Newark mid-way, with one passenger saying the two Israeli passengers caused a “riot” with their actions after sitting themselves in business class and defiantly not showing their ticket to the crew. A passenger aboard the flight, Roi Lotan, told Israeli broadcast station News 12 that the passengers were disruptive and “a riot started” about an hour and a half into the flight. Flight tracking website FlightAware shows that the plane was diverted near the US-Canada border between Maine and New Brunswick. United Airlines said in a statement this was “due to disruptive passengers on board.” Law enforcement officials met the aircraft upon landing as well as the Port Authority Police Department. A spokesperson from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told CNN: “No charges by PAPD were issued, no further incident or reported injuries.” The flight, which was operating on a Boeing 787-10 with 123 passengers on a half-empty plane, was ultimately cancelled. “Our team at New York/Newark have provided our customers with meal vouchers and hotel accommodation and have made arrangements for customers to complete their journeys,” United said. The incident comes just a day after a London-bound American Airlines flight turned around mid-way, returning to Miami because a passenger would not comply with wearing a mask.
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Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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