London - An airline passenger was tasered and dragged off his flight by police on Thursday after a row over his carry-on bags.
The unnamed man, 37, became angry when easyJet crew asked him to put a bumbag-style money belt inside his second bag, witnesses said.
The budget airline’s strict rules only allow once piece of carry-on luggage per passenger. Officers boarded the Belfast-bound plane as it waited to take off from Gatwick and arrested the man.
He had started rowing with airline staff at the airport gate but still boarded the flight, which was due to leave at 8.20am. But he became more abusive once on board and refused to get off when asked.
One witness said it was “ludicrous” that the man had been stopped over his luggage, explaining: “He had one small rucksack, the size you would put a gym kit in, and one money belt, which was no larger than a tub of margarine.
“Most passengers, including myself, had single bags which were much bigger than both of his put together.”
The witness said he believed the man “just stormed past security because he was so fed up” when staff at the gate tried to stop him from boarding. A policeman followed the man on to the flight and tried to get him to leave. When he refused, three more officers followed.
“Everyone though it was quite funny until [the officers] pulled out the Taser gun and it suddenly seemed to be very out of control,” the witness added. “I heard the gun snap twice. People were very shocked. It was heavy handed, but I don’t blame the police as they had to get the guy off the plane. It does seem a crazy dispute to end up being tasered for though.”
Another passenger, actor and musician Gary Trainor, said: “He kept saying that he had paid for his ticket and therefore had every right to be on the aircraft.”
It seemed to go on for about 20 minutes and things became increasingly heated.
“More police came on board and then eventually there was a scuffle and I saw they had drawn their Tasers. I didn’t see them hit him but he slumped down and then it took about another 20 minutes to get him off the aircraft.”
Former Royal Navy officer Niall Copeland, 29, from Hampshire, told NBC News: “He started shouting and demanding to know why his ‘man purse’ had caused a problem.
“The Taser was then pulled and he was told he would be tasered if he did not co-operate. He had been very loud and aggressive by this point.”
He added that the man, who is black and from Belfast, “tried to insinuate that it was racially motivated.” All passengers and crew had to leave the aircraft to be interviewed by police as witnesses.
The plane finally landed at Belfast shortly after midday, nearly three hours late. EasyJet’s one bag policy is rigorously enforced for both men and women. Only those who pay a premium are allowed to take a second smaller bag into the cabin, as long as it can fit under their seat.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “A man is in police custody after being tasered on an aircraft. Police officers were called to the easyJet flight shortly after 8am to reports of a passenger who was becoming increasingly abusive following a dispute over luggage. A man has been arrested on suspicion of breach of the peace.”
An easyJet spokesperson said: “We do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour on board and always push for prosecution. The safety of passengers and crew is always easyJet’s priority.”
Daily Mail