Mr Orlando
09-08-2007, 06:14 PM
A travel company claims to have been inundated with messages of support after refusing to fly a large group of abusive passengers back from Greece.
First Choice took the decision after crew and passengers complained of a torrent of verbal abuse from a party of around 21 men on a flight from Gatwick to the Greek island of Zante.
The men are said to have exposed themselves to nearby passengers, and also to have groped female cabin crew.
Greek police met the aircraft on the tarmac and took the men in for questioning but no arrests were made.
Nevertheless, in a move which has met with widespread support, First Choice has cancelled the group's return tickets and warned that they will have to find their own way back to the UK.
The company has also contacted other airline operators, advising them to consider doing the same.
In a statement, First Choice warned: "The safety and comfort of our crew and passengers is our number one priority.
"We have zero tolerance policy towards unruly behaviour on our flights and have refused the group return travel to the UK. This is a clear signal of our approach to managing bad behaviour on board."
The tour operator said it had received scored of emails from customers supporting its hardline stance.
I do support their action.
First Choice took the decision after crew and passengers complained of a torrent of verbal abuse from a party of around 21 men on a flight from Gatwick to the Greek island of Zante.
The men are said to have exposed themselves to nearby passengers, and also to have groped female cabin crew.
Greek police met the aircraft on the tarmac and took the men in for questioning but no arrests were made.
Nevertheless, in a move which has met with widespread support, First Choice has cancelled the group's return tickets and warned that they will have to find their own way back to the UK.
The company has also contacted other airline operators, advising them to consider doing the same.
In a statement, First Choice warned: "The safety and comfort of our crew and passengers is our number one priority.
"We have zero tolerance policy towards unruly behaviour on our flights and have refused the group return travel to the UK. This is a clear signal of our approach to managing bad behaviour on board."
The tour operator said it had received scored of emails from customers supporting its hardline stance.
I do support their action.