Police Drag ‘Drunk’ Passenger Off UK Flight to Ibiza Before Take‑off After Refusing Seat Belt

A Manchester-to-Ibiza flight was delayed by more than two hours after police dragged a drunken passenger off the aircraft before take-off, following reports that he refused to wear his seat belt while intoxicated. Dramatic footage captured the moment two officers carried the passenger by his arms and legs down the aisle as fellow travelers watched.

A fellow passenger, Carmela Colasurdo, filmed the scene and said boarding began on time but the crew halted the process after the disruptive man failed to cooperate with safety instructions. Colasurdo told reporters that the individual was intoxicated and would not fasten his seatbelt, and she noted that it took about two hours for police to arrive and remove him from the plane, with officers carrying him down the middle of the cabin and into a police van after the doors were opened.

The incident occurred on a flight scheduled from Manchester to Ibiza on September 13 and was followed by a delayed departure as authorities intervened. Manchester Airport did not offer immediate public comment in the immediate aftermath, and the Daily Mail reported that the airport had been approached for comment.

The episode comes amid a series of reported disruptions involving intoxicated passengers on European flights. Earlier this month, a drunk passenger on a Ryanair flight from Bournemouth to Girona sparked a chaotic altercation on board, with reports that he attempted to open emergency doors mid-flight. Video captured a wide-scale brawl as 13 French police officers carried the man across the runway at Toulouse airport after the aircraft diverted there.

Witnesses described a highly traumatic scene as other passengers tried to restrain the man, who was said to have spat at and punched fellow travelers before being pinned to the floor with a seatbelt extender wrapped around his ankles. Reports said the man then aimed a head-butt at a pensioner seated nearby. Ryanair confirmed the September 4 flight was diverted to Toulouse after the disruption and that police met the aircraft upon landing to offload the passenger before the flight continued to Girona. The airline said it maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to ensure safe and respectful travel for all customers and crew.

Unruly passenger incidents have prompted ongoing discussions about airline safety protocols and enforcement. Authorities emphasize that the safety of crew and passengers remains paramount and that disruptions of this kind are treated seriously, with investigations and potential consequences for those involved.