British airline EasyJet claims a flight was delayed at Manchester Airport after a male traveler “incorrectly” entered a plane that was set to head to Italy. An investigation is ongoing for what caused the man to get on board.
A Not-So-Easy Getaway
On Friday evening around 7:00 p.m., EasyJet flight EZY2127 was set to take off for Milan, Italy until a man in his 20s was discovered on the aircraft. Greater Manchester police officers were called to escort the man off the plane.
According to police, the man incorrectly boarded the flight without the proper documentation.
Following the arrest, the other passengers on the plane had to evacuate due to additional security checks in line with standard protocol. There were no signs that the trespasser had any bad intentions, as no weapons, drugs, or explosives were found on him.
This claim was confirmed by an EasyJet spokesman in a statement to media outlets. The spokesmen further commented on the incident:
"Safety and security is our highest priority and so we will now work with our ground partner at Manchester Airport to understand how he was able to board the flight."
EasyJet's spokesman added that further details won't be known as an investigation is currently taking place.
Greater Manchester Police issued a statement on Saturday, citing that a man in his 20s was arrested for concealing himself for the purpose of being carried in an aircraft without consent, in addition to “intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance”.
The BBC is reporting that the passenger was supposed to board a different EasyJet flight, and mistakenly boarded the one heading to Milan.
The man remains in custody while authorities continue to question him.
EasyJet had their hands full over the past week with a flight from Antalya, Turkey to London, England, where an allegedly intoxicated man removed his shirt and got physical with another passenger, with online readers speculating about airlines' stances on serving alcohol during flights.