Man arrested on runway after boarding easyJet flight without a ticket
Questions have been asked about how the incident was allowed to happen
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A man who managed to somehow wrongly board an easyJet flight without the correct documents has been arrested.
The arrest was made on flight EZY2127 from Manchester to Airport to Milan on Friday evening. Reports suggest the man didn’t have a boarding pass.
Greater Manchester Police said officers responded to reports a man was on the aircraft, due to depart for Milan, at about 7pm on Friday.
The individual, in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of hiding oneself for the purpose of being carried in an aircraft without consent and intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance after he returned to the terminal, the force said.
It is understood he had passed through security checks at Terminal 1.
ITV News report the plane was about to depart and had taxied onto the runway when cabin crew realised he shouldn’t have been there.
The aircraft was very busy at the time, those on board said,
Nothing suspicious was found aboard the aircraft and there is no suggestion the incident was terror-related.
In a statement, easyJet said its EZY2127 flight was subject to additional security checks per standard procedure “due to a passenger incorrectly boarding the flight”.
The airline added: “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.”
Manchester Airport said the passenger was “properly screened” by its security “so passenger safety was never an issue”, and that it was working with the police and airline to look into what happened.
The man remains in police custody for questioning while inquiries continue.
A statement from Greater Manchester Police on Saturday said: “At around 7pm on Friday 4 October 2024, we were called to Manchester Airport to reports of a man who had embarked on a flight without the correct documentation.
“On arrival back to the terminal, officers arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of secrete self for the purpose of being carried in an aircraft without consent and intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance.
“He remains in police custody for questioning and enquiries are ongoing.”