TUI Flight Delayed as Passenger Refuses Child’s Seatbelt, Gets Removed by Police

In a recent incident on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, a TUI flight departing from Kos Airport (KGS), Greece, to Manchester Airport (MAN) faced significant delays after a female passenger reportedly refused to fasten her child’s seatbelt. According to the Manchester Evening News (MEN), police had to intervene and remove the disruptive passenger from the Airbus A320 flight.

The scheduled departure time for the flight was 1:35 pm local time from the Greek Island, but due to the situation, the flight experienced several hours of delay before eventually taking off. As the aircraft approached Manchester, passengers were instructed to buckle up for landing, but one passenger allegedly refused to comply with the safety instructions for her child.

In response to the refusal, the flight’s captain made the decision to abort the landing and circled until the matter could be resolved. Consequently, the flight arrived six hours behind schedule at 9:46 pm local time. Shortly after landing, the police boarded the plane and escorted the disruptive passenger off the aircraft.

A fellow passenger, sharing their experience with MEN, stated that before takeoff, flight attendants checked seatbelts, and the woman claimed her child was terrified, initially refusing to take off. Eventually, she complied, and the flight proceeded without any further issues. However, during the landing preparation, tensions escalated as the passenger screamed, adamant about not restraining her child, and expressing fear.

TUI confirmed the incident and stated that the passenger was removed from the flight for not complying with the seatbelt requirement for her child. A spokesperson from the airline, commenting on the situation, described it as a case of a disruptive passenger causing delays to the flight.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to safety regulations during air travel to ensure a smooth and secure journey for all passengers.