On Friday, Ryanair flight FR2001 from Lanzarote to Santiago de Compostela was delayed by 40 minutes after a passenger claiming to be a UN diplomat refused to show his boarding pass and follow an instruction from the crew. The passenger requested a seat in a preferred row but refused to change his originally assigned seat when the crew requested this.
The situation escalated when the passenger continued to refuse to leave the plane. The captain then gave the order to remove the passenger from the plane. Airport security and the Guardia Civil were called in to forcibly remove the passenger.
The incident, which was filmed by fellow passengers, caused discomfort on board and led to a delay in departure. The incident underlines the importance of adhering to safety regulations during a flight.
"The crew of this flight from Lanzarote to Santiago (17 January) requested police assistance prior to departure after a passenger displayed disruptive behaviour on board. This passenger was removed from the aircraft before the flight continued to Santiago. Ryanair is committed to ensuring that all passengers and crew can travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption from a small number of disruptive passengers. Ryanair has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misbehaviour and will continue to take firm action against improper behaviour by passengers on aircraft - in the interests of the vast majority of passengers who do not disrupt flights. This is a matter for the local police," the airline concerned said in a statement.