Airline ditches rioting passengers

A pilot flew out to Sicily with an empty aircraft yesterday after all 187 passengers were unloaded because their behaviour was so riotous it was too dangerous to take off.

One man was arrested and later cautioned after police were called in to deal with the disruptive passengers on a Sabre Airways flight at Gatwick Airport. Many of those on board - a mixture of Italian and British holidaymakers - were hurling abuse at the crew and shouting at other passengers after a delay and a route alteration. Flight SBE 140 was due to take off at 7.25am for Palermo and Catania, but it was delayed by a technical fault which involved replacing a hydraulic pump. The aircraft eventually flew empty to Palermo to pick up customers for the return flight to Britain.