A TUI Airways flight from Cancún to London Gatwick was forced to land in Bangor after two passengers began fighting on board.
TUI Airways flight BY49 was about an hour into its journey Tuesday, July 8 2025 when a scuffle broke out between two individuals who had reportedly been caught smoking in the lavatory.
According to a passenger, the pilot warned those involved to stop or risk an unscheduled landing—but the pair refused to comply.
Audio recordings from the cockpit reveal the situation was quickly reported to air traffic control. “Cockpit is secure and there’s two passengers fighting. The crew has pretty much gotten them under control,” the pilot said.
As the conflict escalated, the pilot opted to divert the aircraft. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (registration G-TUIL), carrying 267 passengers, descended from cruising altitude of 39,000 feet.
The flight was guided to Bangor International Airport and landed safely around 9:30 p.m. EST. Local authorities removed the two unruly passengers, who were described by witnesses as “obviously drunk,” with one allegedly assaulting his partner during the flight.
Due to the unexpected stop, the remaining passengers faced an overnight layover in Bangor, with some expressing frustration over visa complications and lack of clear updates.
Additionally, the original crew had reached their duty limits, prompting the airline to fly in a relief crew to continue the journey. The flight eventually departed Maine at 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday and arrived safely at Gatwick later that day.
Despite the seriousness of the disruption, no criminal charges were filed against the two passengers. According to a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both individuals were processed for expedited removal and sent back to their respective home countries on separate outbound flights.
