‘Abusive’ Jet2 passenger fined £85,000 and given lifetime ban
An “abusive” passenger who attempted to open aircraft doors while on board a Jet2 flight has been fined more than £85,000 and given a lifetime ban by the airline.
Chloe Haines has been accused of “aggressive, abusive and dangerous behaviour” that forced the Turkey-bound flight to be diverted to Stansted on 22 June.
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RAF fighter jets had to be called to escort the plane back to Stansted, creating a sonic boom in the process.
After the plane landed at Stansted, Haines was arrested on suspicion of assault and endangering an aircraft. Jet 2 said it is co-operating with the police on their investigation.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “Miss Haines’ behaviour was one of the most serious cases of disruptive passenger behaviour that we have experienced.
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“She must now face up to the consequences of her actions, and we will vigorously pursue to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this divert, as we do with all disruptive passengers.
As a family friendly airline, we take an absolutely zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour, and we hope that this sobering incident, with its very serious consequences, provides a stark warning to others who think that they can behave in this fashion.”