A disruptive passenger on a flight to Turkey caused the plane to divert to Germany after exhibiting aggressive behavior and spitting on another traveler. Courtney Maich, 27, and her partner Alannah O’Neill, 28, from Dundee, disrupted the Jet2 service departing from Edinburgh Airport to Dalaman by consuming their own alcohol and refusing to comply with cabin crew instructions.

Despite multiple warnings from the crew, Maich continued to shout and swear, leading to the captain issuing a written warning. The situation escalated to the point where the captain decided to divert the flight to Cologne, where Maich was removed from the aircraft. Passengers were delayed for three hours before resuming their journey to Turkey, with the return flight to Edinburgh postponed.

Jet2 incurred costs of £27,370.53 for accommodations and the delayed flight back to Edinburgh. The airline is pursuing legal action against Maich and O’Neill to recover the losses. Maich’s disruptive behavior included shouting, swearing, aggressive actions, and spitting on a fellow passenger.

Both Maich and O’Neill were sentenced to a 12-month supervision order and mandated to complete unpaid work. They are also subjected to a curfew requiring them to stay at home during specific hours. Maich was additionally ordered to pay compensation for the assault. The incident highlights a concerning trend of increased crime and disorder at Scottish airports, with a 41% rise in incidents over the past three years. Edinburgh and Glasgow airports saw notable increases in reported incidents compared to previous years.