Pilot 'punched by passenger' in horror mass brawl on Wizz Air flight to Greece

12 May 2022, 14:19 | Updated: 12 May 2022, 14:31

Shocking clip shows moment of brawl on board Wizz Air flight

By Sophie Barnett

This is the shocking moment a mass brawl erupted on a Wizz Air flight to Greece, with a British man allegedly punching the pilot.

The British passenger was arrested by police after causing carnage on the plane, which flew to Crete on Tuesday evening, holidaymakers said.

The fight broke out shortly after the flight touched down in Greece, with the British man allegedly throwing punches at other travellers and the pilot, The Sun reports.

Tourists said the pair were smoking and vaping throughout the journey, threatening fellow travellers, and were drunk before they even got on the plane.

The passenger's anger boiled over when he was told he would be escorted to the airport by police, witnesses said.

The "disgraceful" commotion caused the pilot to come out of his cockpit to try and calm down the angry passenger.

Read more: Boris refuses to rule out windfall tax in wide-ranging interview with LBC

Read more: Check your fridge: Supermarkets urgently recall chicken products over salmonella fears

Footage shows aftermath of Wizz Air flight brawl

Witnesses claim he was punched by the passenger, who is reportedly from Bermondsey, south London - with screams heard from horrified onlookers.

The passenger and his friend, both in their 30s, were joined by a third man with a litre of vodka on the 6pm flight from Gatwick.

Footage shared on social media shows the brawl unfolding in the aisle of the plane, with eyewitnesses claiming the pilot was thumped in the scuffle.

The man was dragged off the flight by police with his trousers round his ankles, witnesses said.

The brawl erupted on a Wizz Air flight to Crete.
The brawl erupted on a Wizz Air flight to Crete. Picture: Harrison Stanners

Some passengers escaped through the rear exit but then had to wait two hours at security while they gave police statements, meaning many missed their hotel transfers.

One passenger told The Sun it was "absolute chaos".

The 37-year-old, who was flying to Crete for a holiday with her husband, said the man and his friend were "loud and abusive" throughout the flight.

Read more: Hero dog saves girl, 2, by biting attempted kidnappers as police launch manhunt

The fight broke out on the Wizz Air flight to Crete, Greece.
The fight broke out on the Wizz Air flight to Crete, Greece. Picture: Harrison Stanners

“But something clicked when the air stewardess told them they would be taken off the plane by police when we landed.

“It kicked off and he was just swinging punches as a group of guys tried to restrain him.

“The pilot came out and the guy hit him. He seemed okay but was understandably pretty shaken up. It was disgraceful.”

A scheduled return flight to the UK had to be cancelled while blood was cleared up.

A spokesman for Wizz Air said: “On Wizz Air flight W95741 from Gatwick - Chania, a passenger became unruly. The cabin crew handled the situation as they are trained to do and reported the incident to the respective authorities, who arrested the passenger on arrival.

"Wizz Air confirms that crew were asked to go to the airport police station to file the case, by which point the crew had legally reached their duty time limitation, and needed time to rest before the return flight to Gatwick.

"Unfortunately, this meant that flight W95742 from Chania – Gatwick had to be rescheduled. The flight departed at 16:10 local time.

"Wizz Air sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused, but the safety of passengers and crew is the airline’s number one priority.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Gregg Wallace outside ITV Studios  Featuring: Gregg Wallace Where: London, United Kingdom When: 29 Nov 2016

Gregg Wallace formally sacked from BBC over no confidence 'learned behaviour' can be changed

GPs will be told to stop giving sick notes to sign people off work.

GPs told to stop handing out sick notes and start sending people to job coaches and gyms

A TUI plane destined for Gatwick was diverted to an airport in Maine, US.

Brits stranded in 'war zone' conditions for 12 hours as TUI plane diverts mid-flight due to 'smoking'

The charred remains of Grenfell Tower, Notting Hill, London, Britain. The 24 storey residential Tower block was engulfed in flames in the summer of 2017.

Grenfell families accuse government of ‘shameless betrayal’ over pause on investigation into 'implicated' firms

John Lacey, 42, was sentenced to 14-months imprisonment.

Thug, 42, jailed for punching pregnant girlfriend in stomach in attack that 'changed victim forever'

Morgan Gibbs-White is set to join Tottenham

Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White set to join Tottenham in £60m transfer

Empty shop with To Let sign in central West London.

London store closures hit 10-year high - as government urged to invest £5bn to save UK's high-streets

Liverpool Women v Aston Villa Women - Pre Season Friendly

Arsenal close to record-breaking £1m signing of Liverpool’s Olivia Smith in landmark deal

Blue Stevens was stabbed to death in Knightsbridge after 'standing up to someone who was trying to steal his watch'

'I can't stop crying': Heartbroken mum of man stabbed to death outside five-star hotel 'for his Rolex' pays tribute

'Birkin' bag by Hermes which belonged to British-French actress and singer Jane Birkin

Original Hermes Birkin bag which belonged to actress Jane Birkin sells for £8.6 million

Parts of an Air India plane that crashed on Thursday are seen on top of a building in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025.

Investigators look into Air India's vital engine switches after plane crash killed 270 people

Sean O'Meara

Four suspicious devices found where police shot chainsaw-wielding man in gas mask

Distressing footage Body worn footage shows PC Lydia Ward being comforted by colleagues as she is bleeding from the nose after she tried to arrest an assault suspect at Manchester Airport.

Shocking clip shows cop with bloodied nose crying after Manchester Airport brawl as bodycam footage shown to jury

A neurosurgeon pointing towards a computer as they analyse a patient MRI Scan at a brain surgery clinic.

Air pollution exposure increases risk of common brain tumour, study suggests

Frank Barrie

EastEnders star and theatre legend Frank Barrie dead at 88 - as family pays tribute

PC Luke Holden PCSO Tim Parry Sgt Greg Gillespie

'I saw the look in his eyes': Hero officers open up about moment they came face-to-face with Southport killer