Jet2 Flight from Turkey to London Diverts to Bulgaria Over Disruptive Passengers

A Jet2 Airbus A321neo flight from Antalya, Turkey, to London diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, on Monday due to two disruptive passengers. Footage on social media showed a man threatening other passengers and shouting abuse before being escorted off the airplane by military police in Sofia. Data from Flightradar24 shows the Jet2 flight U-turned over Romania and diverted to Sofia.

Jet2 banned the two disruptive passengers from flying with the airline for life. The disruptive passengers included a pair who began misbehaving on the flight from Antalya to London. Business Insider reported that the Airbus A321neo was flying from Antalya when the pair began misbehaving, leading to the diversion.

"We will vigorously pursue them to recover any losses that we incurred as a result of their behavior — and we will not hesitate to use the courts," Jet2 said.

Federal Aviation Administration statistics show unruly passenger reports increased from about 1,000 in 2020 to 6,000 in 2021. Business Insider reported that such incidents have become more common compared to before the pandemic, with numbers dropping off but still elevated.

Ryanair sued a passenger in 2025 for over $15,000 in damages after the passenger allegedly forced a flight to divert. Ryanair asked Spanish courts in 2025 to fine or potentially imprison a disruptive passenger who tried to take a seat that was not his and caused a flight to take off late.

These cases highlight airlines' efforts to recoup costs from diversions, which can delay journeys and disrupt schedules.