Jet2 bans two passengers for life after mid‑air brawl on Manchester‑bound flight
A Jet2 flight from Antalya to Manchester was forced to divert to Brussels after an in‑flight fight broke out, prompting police to remove two passengers. The airline has imposed lifetime bans on the pair and says it will seek to recover costs related to the diversion.
Diversion to Brussels and police action
Flight LS896 diverted to Brussels three hours into its journey and landed just after 5: 00 PM ET on 12 February. Belgian police boarded the aircraft and escorted two men off the plane before it continued on to Manchester later that evening. Passengers captured chaotic footage of the altercation as other travellers and cabin crew struggled to break up the confrontation in the aisle.
Belgian authorities said the two men were "briefly deprived of their freedom administratively" and were found to be still intoxicated when held. Their identities, photographs and fingerprints were taken and an official file has been opened for intentional assault and battery. The public prosecutor's office has said the investigation remains ongoing and that it will take appropriate action when complete.
Airline response and consequences
Jet2 described the conduct of the two passengers as "appalling" and announced lifetime bans for both. The airline added it will "vigorously" pursue the individuals to recover the costs incurred as a result of the unscheduled diversion. The carrier stressed its zero‑tolerance stance on disruptive behaviour and said it was sorry that other customers and crew had to endure the disturbance.
Videos circulating online showed multiple people crowding into the aisle, with shoving and punches exchanged and a cabin crew member appealing for calm from atop a seat. Other travellers tried to separate those involved while the flight crew managed the rest of the cabin and prepared for the unscheduled landing.
Investigation, passenger impact and wider context
Authorities in Belgium drew up the formal report for intentional assault and battery and confirmed the men were allowed to continue their journeys after the administrative measures. The ongoing legal process will determine whether further criminal charges are filed.
Airline diversions caused by unruly passengers create wide logistical and financial burdens: crews must handle a disrupted cabin, passengers face delays, and airlines incur fuel and ground handling costs. The carrier has pointed to previous instances where it penalised and banned travellers whose conduct forced diversions, underlining a policy aimed at protecting family customers and crew safety.
For the passengers on LS896, the immediate consequence was an extended travel time and a stressful experience that played out in footage now shared widely. The long‑term outcomes for the two men will depend on the prosecutorial review in Belgium and any civil claims the airline chooses to pursue to recoup diversion costs.
Investigations into in‑flight violence have become more prominent in recent years as airlines and regulators grapple with how to deter and penalize behaviour that endangers safety and disrupts operations. For now, the diversion on 12 February stands as the latest example of how quickly a routine holiday flight can be upended by a small number of disruptive passengers, and how carriers are responding with strict sanctions.
