A British airline wants a national database so unruly passengers can’t fly.
A British low-cost airline is calling for a national database of disruptive passengers—something that does not exist in the U.S. either. Jet2, known for its marketing jingle on TikTok, wants to implement this measure to ensure that disruptive passengers are banned from all U.K. airlines after an intense fight caused a diversion this week.
A Jet2 flight from Antalya, Turkey, to London was diverted when a drunk couple began fighting on the plane. They were traveling with two children and became disruptive. When a fellow passenger tried to intervene, the man shouted racist rants. The Sun reported that a woman in her 60s was punched by accident, prompting the pilot to make an unscheduled stop in Bulgaria to remove the family from the flight. The pilot called for police and medical services to meet the plane when it landed, and the couple was removed from the flight along with their children. Passengers alleged the couple was visibly drunk and disruptive even before boarding and should not have been allowed on board.
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In a statement, the U.K.-based airline confirmed the incident and said it has banned the two passengers for life. The airline also said it will seek to recover losses due to their behavior and take them to court. Furthermore, Jet2 stated, “In addition, we are lobbying for the creation of a national database so that as well as being banned from flying with us, disruptive passengers will also be banned from flying with other U.K. airlines.”
It is not an industry-wide practice to share data on disruptive passengers. However, Dutch airlines KLM and Transavia announced in 2022 that they would ban unruly passengers from both airlines for five years to broaden the scope of their no-fly list. In 2021, Delta also called for airlines to share their no-fly lists with each other so disruptive people are prevented from flying. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has also advocated for a similar measure.
Airlines in the U.S. maintain their own no-fly lists, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation has its own list of individuals who are not allowed to fly commercially if they are considered a threat to the country.
Flight Fury
Unruly passenger incidents in the U.S. surged during the pandemic. In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported 5,973 incidents, compared to 1,009 in 2020. Since then, incidents have significantly dropped, but they remain higher than pre-pandemic numbers; for example, in 2025, there were still 1,621 passengers reported to the FAA. The FAA enforces a zero-tolerance policy toward unruly passengers, and bad behavior on flights can lead to fines and jail time. Offenders can also lose access to Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
Airlines are also taking steps to prevent disorderly behavior on flights by punishing such actions. Apart from banning passengers for life—which can be evaded by flying with a competitor—they are dragging them to court.
Airlines incur significant losses when a flight is diverted for any reason. Now, they are pursuing passengers who cause unscheduled stops through preventable actions. Last year, budget airline Ryanair filed multiple lawsuits against unruly passengers and demanded they cover the costs of diversions. It also announced that it will impose a fine of €500 ($580) on those who display unacceptable behavior on flights, along with legal proceedings for the worst cases.
Related: Can Airlines Sue You if You Behave Badly?
Airlines define unacceptable behavior, and you could be banned from a flight or airline for reasons other than violent conduct. Interfering with the crew or not following instructions can result in removal. British Airways warns that filming the crew without consent may lead to serious consequences, including being removed from the flight or reported to authorities. Ryanair has similar carriage terms that prohibit unauthorized recording of personnel. Meanwhile, United is addressing the issue of loudcasting—those who play videos or audio without headphones on a flight may be removed by the airline.
