Latest news with #BangorInternationalAirport
NDTV
12-07-2025
- NDTV
Passengers Stranded For 17 Hours After Couple Caught Smoking In Flight Bathroom Mid-Air
A passenger plane in the US was stranded for over 17 hours earlier this week after a couple were caught smoking in the bathroom mid-flight. On Tuesday (Jul 8), TUI Airways flight BY49, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, took off from Cancun, Mexico, but had to be diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine, according to a report in New York Post. The plane landed at the airport at 9:30 pm local time. The couple smoking in the restroom were believed to be drunk and taken away, while the remaining passengers were told that the plane would take off as soon as the required paperwork was over. However, British passenger Terry Lawrance, 66, revealed that the passengers were forced to sit for another five hours. The original flight crew ended up not being able to continue as they would have exceeded their legal working hours. As a result, a relief flight had to be dispatched from the UK to the US to ferry them to their destination. The situation turned pear-shaped from here as passengers were stuffed in a cramped lounge, which Mr Lawrence said was the military airbase section of the airport. "It was like free-for-all for vultures. It was like a warzone in a lounge, rows and rows of beds," said Mr Lawrence. "All our luggage was still on the plane whilst we waited," he added. It wasn't until 3 pm the next day that they finally departed, a harrowing 17 and a half hours since they'd touched down in Maine. Thankfully, all the passengers arrived safely in London. Social media reacts Reacting to the troubles faced by the passengers, social media users urged the authorities to take strict action against the couple, while others questioned if the pilots could have reacted differently. "Did the smokers get arrested? Will they be made to pay for the fuel and other expenses incurred by the airline? Will they have to compensate the passengers who missed their connections?" said one user, while another added: "TSA should add cigarettes to the confiscation list." A third commented: "They should've chastised them, and have them arrested at the gate. Not ground the whole plane. Back in the day people chain-smoked on planes."
NDTV
12-07-2025
- NDTV
"Everyone Was Fed Up": Passengers Stuck For 17 Hours As Couple Smokes On Flight
A "disruptive" couple found smoking on a plane forced the captain to divert the flight, leaving passengers stranded in a "warzone" at a Maine airport for more than 17 hours earlier this week. Flight BY49 of TUI Airways left Cancun, Mexico, on July 8 for London Gatwick. Around an hour into the flight, a couple was found smoking cigarettes in the lavatory. The captain warned that they would be forced to divert the flight if the behaviour persisted. Despite the stern words, the smokers continued their act. As a result, the pilot diverted the flight to Bangor International Airport in Maine around three-and-a-half hours later, close to Canadian airspace at 9:30 pm local time. Upon landing, the couple was escorted off. The original crew was unable to proceed to London because they had exceeded their lawful duty-time limit. 'Everybody was fed up,' Terry Lawrance, 66, a UK native, told Southwest News Service. Following the unexpected landing at Bangor, passengers remained seated for an additional five hours, even as the jet taxied to take departure, Mr Lawrance claimed. Due to the US immigration rules and regulations, travellers were unable to exit the terminal. They were directed to a restricted area, which was reportedly a military sector of the airport. Videos showed flyers sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder in what was described as a "warzone lounge" with makeshift airbeds set up, The New York Post reported. 'It was like free-for-all for vultures,' Mr Lawrance described their temporary shelter, before adding, 'There were rows and rows of beds—it was like a war zone in a lounge.' Passengers had to wait 12 to 15 hours to access their belongings before they were even served refreshments. TUI organised for a relief team to be flown in from the United Kingdom. The flight finally took off from Bangor at 3 pm local time on July 9, more than 17 hours after it landed in Maine. They acknowledged that the diversion was required for safety after "disruptive" behaviour occurred on board, as per PEOPLE.
Int'l Business Times
11-07-2025
- Int'l Business Times
'It Was Like a Warzone': Mid-flight Bathroom Misconduct Leaves Passengers Stranded for Hours
A London-bound flight from Cancun turned into a 17-hour travel nightmare after two passengers allegedly smoked in the airplane bathroom, forcing the pilot to divert to the US. Terry Lawrance, 66, who was on the TUI flight to London Gatwick, described scenes of frustration and exhaustion as stranded travelers were eventually kept overnight at Bangor International Airport in Maine. "After an hour the captain came on and said someone had been smoking in the toilet — he read the riot act and said if it continues, we'd have to divert," Lawrance told the Mirror. Despite the warning, the flight was eventually rerouted after another three and a half hours in the air. The accused couple was escorted off the plane. "They were obviously drunk," Lawrance said. Passengers were stuck onboard for an additional five hours after landing as paperwork was handled, only to be told the crew had run out of legally permitted working hours. A new crew had to be flown in from the UK, leaving weary travelers camped out on makeshift airbeds in what Lawrance described as "like a warzone in a lounge," with "rows and rows of beds." "We were there for over 12 was fed up," he said. "It was like a free-for-all for vultures." The relief flight eventually departed the next day, with all passengers now safely home. TUI declined to comment on the incident. Originally published on Latin Times
Metro
11-07-2025
- Metro
Passengers stranded in airport for hours after couple smoke on London flight
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Tourists were left stranded for more than 17 hours after their plane was diverted due to a couple smoking on board. The London Gatwick Airport-bound flight set off from Cancun, Mexico, on Tuesday (July 8), but within an hour of take-off the pilot warned two passengers who had been caught smoking in the toilets. The TUI pilot warned the plane would have to divert if the smoking continued – but after another three-and-a-half hours, the plane was diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine, US. Both alleged smokers were turfed off the flight – but other passengers were left waiting in their seats for another five hours. Terry Lawrance, 66, was on the plane and said it even taxied to take off before the flight was abandoned due to crew being unable to continue working over their legal working hours. Describing what happened, Terry said: 'After an hour the captain came on and said someone had been smoking in the toilet – he read the riot act and said if it continues, we'd have to divert. 'About three hours later, around the border with Canada and he came on to let us know that the plane was being diverted. 'Once we landed, they removed the two passengers. They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner. 'The captain then said we'd be getting going again once the paperwork has been done. 'We were sat on the plane on the ground for five hours – the plane started taxing again and we thought 'great' and then they said there was a problem with flight plan, and we have to get off. 'Next thing, we're not going anywhere, and we've got to stay in this small lounge.' A relief flight was readied and dispatched from the UK to the US to fly everyone back to the UK. But passengers were kept in a room for more than 12 hours while waiting for the relief crew to arrive. Terry believes they were kept in the military air base section of the airport, with rows of camp beds set up for stranded passengers. They were unable to leave the airport terminal due to US immigration laws, it is understood. The relief flight finally took off from Maine at 3pm local time on Wednesday, with all passengers now safely home. But Terry said the entire situation went 'pear shaped' and claimed it took 'four or five hours' to be offered a drink. More Trending He explained: 'We were there for over 12 hours – it all went pear shaped. Everybody was fed up. 'In fairness, they started bringing out airbeds, but it was like free-for-all for vultures. 'It was like a warzone in a lounge – rows and rows of beds. All our luggage was still on the plane whilst we waited.' Metro contacted TUI, who declined to comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Smoke seen across London skyline after fire breaks out in block of flats MORE: Man killed by car crashing into him after fight with 'weapons' broke out in Hendon, north London MORE: Two courses and a glass of prosecco for £18 at Prix Fixe Brasserie : 10 unmissable Time Out deals
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
'My heart sank when TUI pilot made announcement that began a 17-hour ordeal'
The TUI flight was en route to Gatwick when the pilot made the decision to divert after a pair of passengers were found smoking in the airplane toilet - it was the beginning of a 17-hour ordeal A passenger has recounted his 17-hour ordeal after their plane was diverted due to a couple smoking onboard. Brit Terry Lawrance, 66, said it was like a "war zone" with passengers camped out on rows of airbeds, after his flight home from Cancun, Mexico, on was grounded. About an hour after take-off on July 8, the captain of the London Gatwick-bound TUI flight announced two passengers had been smoking in the toilets, and that if it continued, he would have to divert. After another three and a half hours, the captain announced the plane would now be diverting to Bangor International Airport, Maine, US. They landed at 21.30pm local time - and the two alleged smokers were turfed off the flight. But Terry said the other passengers sat in their seats for another five hours and even taxied to take-off, before the flight was abandoned as the original crew were not able to continue to operate the rest of the flight back to Gatwick due to legal working hours. Consequently, a relief flight was readied immediately, and a new crew were dispatched from the UK to the US to fly everyone back. The passengers were then kept in a room - which Terry claims is part of the military airbase section of the airport - for over 15 hours while the airline works to sort a relief crew. A flight to take passengers home to Gatwick eventually took off at 15:00 local time (20:00 BST) on Wednesday 9th July - with all passengers now safely home. Videos taken by Terry show rows of beds as passengers awaited updates, whilst another video shows vehicles approaching the plane after touching down in Bangor. Terry said: "We were there for over 12 hours - it all went pear shaped. Everybody was fed up. In fairness, they started bringing out airbeds, but it was like free-for-all for vultures. "It was like a warzone in a lounge - rows and rows of beds. All our luggage was still on the plane whilst we waited. TUI told us a relief crew was being sent from the UK because the current crew had used up their hours." Tracking on Flightradar24 shows the plane turning back towards Maine, shortly after entering Canadian airspace. Terry said: "After an hour the captain came on and said someone had been smoking in the toilet - he read the riot act and said if it continues, we'd have to divert. "About three hours later, around the border with Canada and he came on to let us know that the plane was being diverted to Bangor, Maine. "Once we landed, they removed the two passengers. They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner. The captain then said we'd be getting going again once the paperwork has been done. "We were sat on the plane on the ground for five hours - the plane started taxing again and we thought 'great' and then they said there was a problem with flight plan, and we have to get off. Next thing, we're not going anywhere, and we've got to stay in this small lounge. "We waited six or seven hours before we were offered a drink."
