What was supposed to be a straightforward holiday flight from Manchester to Morocco turned into a scene of chaos after a passenger reportedly tried to open an emergency exit mid-flight.
The Ryanair plane, bound for Agadir, had only been in the air for just over an hour when the drama forced it to turn back.
A Scare Shortly After Takeoff
The flight had departed Manchester around 9 a.m. on August 25, but instead of heading south towards North Africa, it was soon circling back.
According to flight-tracking sites Flight Radar 24 and Flight Aware, the diversion happened after a female passenger attempted to tamper with the emergency exit door.
She only managed to remove the plastic cover before fellow passengers intervened, alerting cabin crew and preventing anything worse from happening.
Passengers Step In
Those seated nearby quickly realized what was happening and stepped in to stop the woman’s actions.
She was then removed from her emergency exit seat, but the situation was serious enough that the captain personally stood near the door for the rest of the flight.
When the plane touched back down at Manchester Airport, police were already waiting.
Greater Manchester Police escorted the passenger off the aircraft.
Safety Checks on the Ground
Once back on the tarmac, engineers boarded the jet to inspect for any damage.
Some parts had to be replaced before the aircraft could take off again.
After nearly two hours on the ground, the flight finally departed Manchester at 11:22 a.m. and continued on its way to Al-Massira International Airport in Agadir.
Police and Airline Response
Greater Manchester Police confirmed they received a report of a passenger attempting to open the emergency exit.
Meanwhile, Ryanair released a statement condemning the disruption.
The airline emphasized its zero tolerance stance on unruly behavior, saying:
“Crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon landing and offloaded this passenger before the flight continued.
Ryanair will continue to take decisive action to combat misconduct to ensure all passengers and crew can travel safely and without disruption.”
Tougher Penalties for Unruly Travelers
This latest scare comes just months after Ryanair introduced tougher penalties for disruptive passengers.
The airline now warns that anyone removed from a flight for aggressive or unsafe behavior could face a fine of £500.
Executives at the carrier have stressed that passengers deserve stress-free and on-time travel, without having their journeys ruined by “a tiny number of unruly passengers.”
In serious cases, Ryanair says it will pursue civil damages from offenders in addition to fines.
What’s Next for Ryanair
As Europe’s busiest budget airline, Ryanair has had its fair share of mid-air disruptions.
But with new rules and stricter enforcement, the company is making it clear that the days of rowdy or reckless behavior onboard are over.
For the passengers on the Manchester to Agadir flight, however, it was a tense reminder of how quickly a holiday trip can go off course.
