A brawl between two violent passengers erupted on Jet2 LS896 flight between Antalya and Manchester ended in an emergency landing in Brussels after cabin crew failed to placate the incident. One of the passengers was reportedly under the influence of alcohol.
What happened in the air?
Screaming was heard as two individuals on a flight bound for Manchester on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 after racist remarks were made by a drunk passenger for the entire cabin to hear. Whilst the passenger was intoxicated, witnesses state the man was fully conscious of his behaviour. The drunk passenger had originally showed aggression when told to return to his seat, and verbally expressed his disdain when the crew denied his attempt to purchase cigarettes.
It was after this escalation of events that the alteration turned physical – when another passenger threw a punch at the individual. Many fellow passengers were reportedly panicking and screaming as the chaos ensued, with blood spilling over seats and people’s possessions being scattered over the cabin.
The events that unfolded caused distress for many passengers who were on their return flight from a package holiday.
How did Jet2 Staff resolve the incident?
The racist brawl caused the plane to be rerouted to Brussels, where it had to make an unexpected emergency landing. Abruptly after landing, authorities arrived on the plane and escorted the two individuals involved off the plane and into airport custody. Jet2 have responded to the incident by giving the two culprits lifetime bans, calling their behaviour “appalling” and “unacceptable”.
Others passengers onboard have been sharing their viewpoints online, with one witness sharing:
“I have just gotten home from an awful flight, and am still shaken up, as are many other passengers. What should of been a straightforward journey has turned into one of the most distressing experiences we’ve had.”
Jet2 reminded passengers that unsocial behaviour is not tolerated onboard their flights, and failure to comply will result in removal from the aircraft.
How would you react if you witnessed behaviour like this on a flight? Share your thoughts in the comments.
