On September 29, 2025, a Ryanair flight en route from Milan to London was forced to divert to Paris after two male passengers caused some startling disruption – a type that is rather unique in aviation. One of the passengers tore the pages of his passport and proceeded to eat them.
This prompted alarm among fellow travelers, as well as the onboard staff, and most probably, ultimately the pilots. While the motive behind the episode remains uncertain, possibly adding a few hours to the journey. What’s more is that the whole episode prompted a passenger to remark that it was “the most terrifying 15 minutes of his life“.
After landing in Paris following the diversion, the two men were arrested. After the situation was brought under control, the flight proceeded to London Stansted. The incident has since stimulated scrutiny of in-flight security protocols, and aviation enthusiasts were wondering what kind of passenger rights laws exist and what are the precedents for such disruptive behavior.
The disruption aboard Ryanair flight: sequence of events
Shortly after departure from Milan, almost fifteen or so minutes into the flight when aircraft prompted the seatbelt sign could be switched off, one of the people involved in this startling incident “tore out the pages of his passport and proceeded to eat them, causing everyone aboard to “freak out”, reported NewYork Post:
“His partner-in-crime then high-tailed it to the other end of the aircraft and attempted to “flush his passport down the toilet.” A flight attendant slammed on the door and pleaded with him to open it, but he refused to move, which only led to “more tension”.
The disruption led he flight crew to divert the aircraft to Paris rather than continue to London. The tensions escalated so rapidly that one witness called the descent “the most terrifying 15 minutes of my life”. Upon landing, French authorities boarded the plane and removed the two individuals. This was followed by a rigorous baggage search.
Quotes from Witnesses, Airline, and Authorities
Witnesses and involved parties have offered corroborating statements, with various newspapers such as the Daily Mail quoting a passenger:
“No one onboard knew what was going on; these people were acting weird….The air hostess then made a public announcement that was so blunt and to the point. That freaked people out to another level.”
Another passenger praised Ryanair’s handling of the whole episode:
“I think Ryanair were brilliant in handling it … They gave out drinks towards the end of the flight … It was really stressful, but Ryanair handled it amazingly.”
As of this writing, Ryanair has not issued a detailed formal press release describing the incident or the individuals’ identities.
Below is a summary table of Ryanair, one of the most popular budget carriers out there:
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| headquarters | Dublin, Ireland |
| fleet size | over 450 aircraft (largely Boeing 737-800 & 737 MAX) |
| hubs | Dublin, London Stansted, Milan Bergamo, etc. |
| founded | 1984 |
Like all budget carriers, Ryanair operates fleet which has almost the same aircraft type. Here are the details:
| Aircraft Type | In Service | Parked | Current Total | Future 2 | Avg. Age | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 | 333 | 4 | 337 | 8 | 10.7 Years | 702 |
| Bombardier Challenger 300 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0.5 Years | 3 |
| Total | 336 | 4 | 340 | 8 | 10.6 Years | 725 |
Here’s a breakdown of the 737 types that the airline has.
| Aircraft Type | In Service | Parked | Current Total | Future 2 | Avg. Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-800 | 201 | 4 | 205 | – | 16.0 Years |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 132 | – | 132 | 8 | 2.5 Years |
Data: planespotters.net
The details have not come out about which aircraft type Ryanair was operating for the extraordinary event where a passenger chewed up his passport, while another one wanted to flush it down the toilet.