A Portuguese citizen who forced a Ryanair flight from London to Lisbon to divert to Vigo, Spain, in December 2023 due to drunken and disruptive behavior has been sentenced to eight months in prison and ordered to pay more than ten thousand euros in compensation.
The Portuguese man, originally from Setúbal but residing in the United Kingdom, reached an agreement with Ryanair’s lawyers, accepting an eight-month prison term and fines amounting to 240 euros along with two compensations imposed by the Court of Instruction No. of Vigo: 10,301 euros to the airline and 110 euros to a private security agent he assaulted.
The man, aged 50 at the time, faced charges of endangering air navigation and attacking authority figures, as well as assault. The court ruling, according to the Galician newspaper, heavily penalized the assault on the security guard, whom the Portuguese man headbutted and punched in the face at Vigo airport.
The incident occurred on the morning of December 29, 2023, aboard flight FR1080, departing from London Stansted to Lisbon. Around 9:30 am, the pilot requested emergency landing clearance, citing a “very aggressive passenger showing clear signs of intoxication.” In addition to the emergency landing request, the pilot sought security assistance.
The judicial decision indicated that the passenger “consumed alcoholic beverages during the flight, repeatedly refusing to stop in a hostile and aggressive manner.”
Witnesses revealed that the man had already exhibited a “hostile attitude and evident signs of drunkenness” after purchasing and consuming several bottles of alcohol at London airport’s duty-free shops, yet was still allowed to board by Ryanair staff.
During the flight, the Portuguese passenger punched the seat in front, prompting nearby passengers to vacate their seats in fear. “He was an animal,” one witness remarked.
Initially, the man was taken to the Civil Guard facilities in Peinador and then to the Vigo court prison, from which he was released later that afternoon.
In a statement released on Friday, Ryanair emphasized that “this unacceptable behavior forced the flight to divert to Vigo, causing an unnecessary two-hour delay at Vigo airport for six crew members and 179 other passengers, many traveling with young children.”
Ryanair asserted: “We will not tolerate disruptive behavior on our flights and will continue to pursue and prosecute such passengers.”
Ryanair spokeswoman in Spain, Alejandra Ruiz, stated that it is “unacceptable for a small minority of troublesome passengers to misbehave on our flights, disturbing and delaying their fellow travelers.”
“We welcome the verdict issued by this Spanish court against this troublesome passenger, following his unacceptable behavior on a flight from London to Lisbon in December 2023,” she emphasized.
