'Disruptive' smokers on flight leave travellers stranded for 17 hours

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Travellers were left stranded at a Maine airport for more than 17 hours after a couple caught smoking in a plane washroom forced the pilot to divert.

The TUI flight from Cancun, Mexico to London Gatwick had been in the air for about an hour on July 8 when the captain announced that two passengers had been caught smoking in a washroom and if it continued, he would have to divert, the Mirror reported.

Three-and-a-half hours after the first announcement, the captain said that the plane would be diverting to Bangor International Airport in Maine.

The plane landed at 9:30 p.m. local time and the two alleged smokers were removed from the flight.

One passenger, Terry Lawrance, told the Mirror they remained in their seats for another five hours and even taxied to takeoff before the flight was abandoned.

However, it wasn’t as simple as taking off again because the original crew was not able to operate the rest of the flight back to London due to legal working hours.

Due to U.S. immigration laws, the passengers had to remain in the terminal while waiting and were kept in a room while the airline sorted the B-team crew, according to Lawrance.

“We were there for over 12 hours — it all went pear shaped. Everybody was fed up,” he said.

“In fairness, they started bringing out airbeds, but it was like free-for-all for vultures.”

Lawrance described the lounge as a “warzone” consisting of “rows and rows of beds.”

To make matters worse, their luggage remained on the plane while they waited.

Also, “we waited six or seven hours before we were offered a drink,” Lawrance added.

As for the two culprits caught smoking, Lawrance noted, “They were obviously drunk.”

TUI confirmed to People magazine that the plane had been diverted for safety reasons due to some passengers onboard becoming “disruptive.”

The airline added that a relief flight had been readied immediately, but due to U.S. immigration laws, passengers had to remain in the terminal while waiting.

“This is now a case for the U.K. authorities, and we cannot comment any further on the disruptive nature of the passengers,” a TUI spokesperson said.

The flight departed Maine on July 9 at 3 p.m. local time.