Ryanair applauds Spanish court for jailing and fining disruptive passenger

Ryanair has welcomed a ruling by a Spanish court in Vigo that handed an eight-month prison sentence and a €10,000 fine to a passenger who violently disrupted a London–Lisbon flight in December 2023. The incident forced the aircraft to divert to Vigo, delaying 179 passengers and six crew members by two hours.

According to the airline, the passenger assaulted fellow travellers during the flight, prompting the unscheduled landing. Ryanair said the judgment sends a strong signal that unruly behaviour will not be tolerated.

“It is unacceptable that a tiny number of disruptive passengers misbehave on our flights and upset or delay their fellow passengers,” said Ryanair spokesperson Jade Kirwan. “We welcome this Spanish Court’s conviction… as a result of his unacceptable behaviour onboard a London to Lisbon flight in Dec 2023.”

Ryanair says it will continue to pursue legal action against disruptive individuals to protect passengers and crew and to deter similar behaviour across its network.