MillenniumPost
World

Mid-air family drama causes diversion of plane

A flight to a Spanish island was diverted to Portugal after a mid-air heated argument broke out between five family members, who were then evicted.

The argument between passengers David Laughton, 39, his partner Sarah Wilson, 28, and their children became so heated that the pilot, en route to Spanish island Lanzarote, was forced to land in Portugal and ordered them off the plane.

The couple, from Hartlepool, Cleveland, were travelling with Laughton’s two sons, Lee Doram and a 14-year-old from a previous relationship, and the couple’s own child.

Holidaymakers were forced to wait as the quarrelling family were marched off the plane by waiting police officers at Porto airport, the
Daily Mail
reported.

Members of the family were questioned but eventually released without charge but not before their outburst cost the UK-based carrier, Thomson Airways, an estimated £35,000.

They then left 17-year-old stepson Doram alone in Porto as they caught another flight to their holiday destination.

The family were heading to the island for a two week all-inclusive break costing 1,500 pounds when the argument broke out on the flight from Newcastle on 13 September.

Diverting the plane was a last resort, a spokesman for the airline said.

‘We would like to apologise to passengers for any disruption encountered during the flight. Unfortunately a party of passengers became disruptive on board and as a last resort the flight had to be diverted to Portugal,’ the spokesman said.
Next Story
Share it