LIVERPOOL — A holiday flight to Spain was forced to make an abrupt return to Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) on Saturday evening, April 25, 2026, following a disruptive incident on board.
Flight Interrupted
EasyJet Flight U23357, operated by an Airbus A319 (registration G-EZFU), departed Liverpool on schedule at 20:00 BST, bound for the sunny coast of Alicante. However, the journey was cut short just minutes into the ascent.
Flight tracking data shows the aircraft halted its climb at 22,000 feet before performing a sharp U-turn back toward Merseyside. The jet touched back down on Runway 27 just 27 minutes after its initial departure.
“Passenger Incident”
The airline confirmed that the decision to return was made due to a “passenger incident” on board. While specific details regarding the nature of the disruption were not disclosed, standard procedure for such diversions typically involves the offloading of unruly or unwell travelers to waiting authorities or medical staff.
“EasyJet can confirm that flight U23357 from Liverpool to Alicante returned to Liverpool shortly after takeoff due to a passenger incident,” a spokesperson for the airline stated.
Minimal Delay for Travelers
Despite the unexpected detour, the ground team in Liverpool managed the situation with remarkable speed. Once the incident was resolved and the aircraft was cleared for departure again:
- Second Departure: 21:09 BST
- Arrival in Alicante: 00:37 CEST
- Total Delay: Approximately 40 minutes
Thanks to the swift turnaround, the remaining passengers arrived in Alicante during the early hours of Sunday morning, with the airline successfully mitigating what could have been a much longer delay.
