For the first time in the history of Schiphol, a pilot had his entire plane evacuated after a dozen passengers behaved badly. The aircraft then left empty, and the passengers were sent home.
The incident took place last Friday night on an Arkefly plane. A flight was to be operated for travel agency KomforTours to the Turkish towns of Ankara and Kayseri. "While the plane was already taxiing to the runway, several passengers refused to sit down and fasten their seatbelts. They walked through the airplane and sat down on flight attendant seats. After several warnings the pilot was fed up, the plane turned around and went back to the gate where we were waiting", explained a police spokesman.
Twelve border police officers were awaiting the plane. "It was quite an uproar. Especially because all well-behaving passengers had to leave too. It happens more often that we have to deal with rowdy passengers. [...] But having an entire plane evacuated is unique. We tried to find out who the troublemakers were, but have not been able to file charges."
The pilot then flew the plane to Turkey empty to pick up passengers there. The stranded holidaymakers finally made it to their destination the next day, flying on another airline.
(Haarlems Dagblad, 30 Giugno 2009)
The incident took place last Friday night on an Arkefly plane. A flight was to be operated for travel agency KomforTours to the Turkish towns of Ankara and Kayseri. "While the plane was already taxiing to the runway, several passengers refused to sit down and fasten their seatbelts. They walked through the airplane and sat down on flight attendant seats. After several warnings the pilot was fed up, the plane turned around and went back to the gate where we were waiting", explained a police spokesman.
Twelve border police officers were awaiting the plane. "It was quite an uproar. Especially because all well-behaving passengers had to leave too. It happens more often that we have to deal with rowdy passengers. [...] But having an entire plane evacuated is unique. We tried to find out who the troublemakers were, but have not been able to file charges."
The pilot then flew the plane to Turkey empty to pick up passengers there. The stranded holidaymakers finally made it to their destination the next day, flying on another airline.
(Haarlems Dagblad, 30 Giugno 2009)