Unruly Israeli passengers on flight to Tel Aviv cause pilot to return to NY

A couple of Israelis decided to upgrade themselves, without the airline’s approval, and refused to sit in their designated seats.

By World Israel News Staff

On a United Airlines flight that left for Tel Aviv from New York late Thursday evening, two passengers who were sitting in an upgraded area went on a rampage after the flight crew asked them to present proof that they were sitting in their designated seats, N12 reported.

Following the riot, the squadron informed the passengers that they were returning to the United States.

“We landed back in New York, after we left for Israel. After an hour and a half, some commotion started on the plane between two passengers and flight attendants,” Roi Lotan, a passenger on the flight, told the Hebrew-language news site.

According to Lotan, the Israelis “began to riot, and the captain asked to return the flight, so we returned to New York and were evacuated from the plane.”

Due to the coronavirus, the plane was half-empty and there was lots of room, so they probably thought to themselves that they may as well move to the empty upgraded seats, Lotan surmised.

Following the incident, United Airlines stated that “flight safety and passengers are of primary importance and therefore the company is not tolerant of any inappropriate behavior.”