Ryanair plane returns to Manchester Airport as fight breaks out mid-air with man ‘slapped across face’

A Ryanair flight was forced to turn around and head back to Manchester Airport due to a fight which broke out on board.

The flight departed the airport on Monday morning (18 September), heading to Faro in Portugal.

However, mid-way through the flight an eyewitness said a passenger “got very violent” and started a “mid-air fight” which caused the aircraft to turn back to the airport.

The eyewitness told LiverpoolEcho that the man who became violent was later “slapped hard across the face” by a woman travelling with him due to his alleged behaviour towards another female passenger.

Local police stormed the aircraft once it landed back at the airport and the man was removed.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed officers attended the plane when it landed back in Manchester. Images and video shared on social media showed two officers board the flight and walk down the aisle towards the alleged disruptive passenger.

Emma Hargill, a passenger on the flight, shared a video on Facebook of the man being removed by police.

She wrote on the social media platform: “Great start to the holiday. We depart, 49mins later we land, back in Manchester. Still waiting for updates but yeah not there yet.”

The force added that a man in his 30s was arrested.

A spokesperson for the force said: "At around 6.25am this morning, Monday, September 18 officers were called to reports of a disruptive passenger on a flight bound for Faro.

"Upon the plane returning to Manchester Airport, a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of being drunk on an aircraft, two counts of common assault and a Section 4a public order and remains in police custody for questioning. "

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: "The crew of this flight from Manchester to Faro on September 18 requested police assistance after a passenger became disruptive on board.

"This flight turned back to Manchester and this passenger was removed from the aircraft by local police before the flight continued safely to Faro following a short delay. This is now a matter for local police.”

The spokesperson added that the airline “sincerely apologises” to all “affected passengers for any inconvenience caused as a result of this passenger’s disruptive behaviour."