Ryanair Passenger Removed After Vaping Sparks 2-Hour Flight Delay

A Ryanair flight from Edinburgh to Alicante faced a two-hour delay after a passenger was caught vaping in the aircraft lavatory, triggering a smoke alarm and leading to police intervention. The incident occurred on July 3 at Edinburgh Airport, shortly after the aircraft’s initial delay due to an ill crew member.

According to eyewitness Tristan James Walker, the smoke detector in the lavatory was set off by a 21-year-old passenger using an e-cigarette mid-flight. After the flight crew was alerted, the pilot announced that the individual would be removed. Six police officers boarded the plane and escorted the passenger off calmly, with no resistance.

Video footage of the incident later went viral online, showing the young man being led off the aircraft and into a police van on the tarmac. The disruption added roughly two hours to the already delayed departure time.

Walker later encountered the same passenger in Benidorm, Spain, where the individual claimed he had been blacklisted by Ryanair. Police Scotland confirmed the man had been charged in connection with an aviation offense.

This episode is part of a troubling pattern of similar incidents. Just weeks earlier, a flight diversion caused by passengers smoking onboard left travelers stranded in Maine for over 17 hours. As airlines continue to enforce strict non-smoking policies, violations like this highlight the serious consequences that even seemingly minor infractions can have on commercial air travel.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com