A man was kicked off an easyJet flight after arguing with an air steward about an unlit cigarette he kept putting back in his mouth.
The flight from Prague to Manchester was due to take off at 9.35pm local time on Tuesday but was delayed by an hour because of the man’s refusal to abide by aircraft rules.
Despite being told by the cabin crew to put the cigarette away when he boarded the plane, the man, who was wearing a grey jumper and jeans, then put it back in his mouth once in his seat.
Other passengers said he only removed the cigarette to take out a plastic bottle of drink which smelled like vodka, reports MailOnline.
As a result, the chief flight attendant made the decision to remove him from the flight – but the man argued his case for more than five minutes, further delaying the departure time.
Footage shows the incident involving the man, who appeared to be drunk, and the cabin manager is heard saying: ‘I’ve asked him twice about the cigarette. I’m not going to ask him anymore, I’m just going to offload him.
‘I don’t believe for one second that he’s not going to smoke it and I think he’s too intoxicated to travel, so I’m not happy to carry him today.’
An airport staff worker can be seen translating the conversation into Czech for the man, who said he did not speak English.
The airport worker, wearing a hi-vis jacket, then says to the head steward: ‘He will be okay.’
But the air host replies: ‘He’s not travelling with me today. I don’t care, he’s not travelling today. Not in this state.
‘If he’s like this on the ground with the doors open, what’s he going to be like in the air? I’m not having that on my flight. He’s getting off.’
A friend of the allegedly drunk man pleaded to allow him to stay on the flight but the cabin crew were still having none of it.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ replied the head steward. ‘The way he’s behaving on this flight already, I’m not closing the doors and then flying two hours with him like this. He’s getting off my flight.
‘Nobody around here should have to put up with that, it’s just not acceptable. You won’t be travelling with us today.’
After the cabin manager explains to the man that ‘you can talk to me but I will not change my mind’, he then walks towards him, seemingly frustrated.
Explaining his decision to another colleague as the man stands and stares at him, the air host says: ‘I saw him at the door and told him to put away the cigarette. I’m not happy to have him travel.
‘He’s not listened to instructions on the ground, he’s not going to listen to instructions in the air.
‘I’ve informed the captain and my colleague has told me that he has already got the cigarette back out again. It’s been warned on entry.
‘I’m not repeating myself constantly. I’m not delaying this flight any further.’
Amid giggling from passengers watching on, the flight attendant asks the man to go to the front of the aircraft and says ‘we can all have a conversation with the captain’.
His friend, who was offered the option to also leave the aircraft, said they had a business meeting to attend in the UK before settling back into his seat.
Despite claiming he didn’t speak any English, the man can then be heard asking if he should bring his luggage with him and eventually agrees to exit the plane.
He said: ‘Shall I take my bags? I have luggage, should I take it with me?’ He then grabs a bag and says, ‘that’s one, there should be a second one here.’
The crew explained to the man that he would be able to get on another flight once he is sober and then apologised to the rest of the passengers on board for the long delay.
Many of those on the flight greeted his announcement confirming why the man had been removed with clapping and cheers.
An easyJet spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that a passenger on flight EZY2232 from Prague to Manchester on 7 November was escorted off the aircraft prior to departure as a result of disruptive behaviour.
‘easyJet’s cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and to take quick and appropriate action as needed.
‘While incidents like this are rare, we take them very seriously and do not tolerate any form of disruptive behaviour onboard that compromises the safety of the flight, other passengers or our crew – which is always our highest priority.’
Last month, a woman threw £5,000 at a man after they were both kicked off a plane for having a ‘blazing row’.
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