EasyJet flight from Manchester hit by major disruption as EIGHT 'violent passengers' cause trouble

An easyJet flight from Manchester to Tenerife had to be diverted to Lanzarote because of 'eight violent passengers' on board. Spanish air traffic controllers said police had been called to meet the plane because of the 'possibility of assaults'.

Easyjet flight EZY34TV left Manchester just after 7am on Friday (September 29) and touched down in Lanzarote around 1.20pm local time. Local reports said four men on the plane had been identified and reported to the Spanish Air Safety and Security Agency (AESA), which will now fine the holidaymakers.

They are said to have been 'drunk' when they started causing problems, although they co-operated with police after the plane reached Lanzarote.

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Air traffic controllers said in a tweet: "The crew of a flight from Manchester to Tenerife South has informed us of the presence of eight violent passengers on board. Given the possibility of attacks, they have requested a detour to Lanzarote."

Saying they had assisted the pilot in reaching his unscheduled destination, they added added: "A police presence on arrival was coordinated. We reiterate our support for air crews and passengers who have to endure these situations."

Fines for the standard type of breach range from around £50 to nearly £40,000. Troublemakers can also be hit with the cost diversions and face airline bans.

In a statement easyJet said: "easyJet can confirm that flight EZY2011 from Manchester to Tenerife on 29 September was diverted to Lanzarote where the aircraft was met by police due to passengers behaving disruptively onboard. The