An Easyjet flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome when an angry passenger punched a stewardess after telling her he was waiting too long for his food. The furious traveller allegedly shouted ‘I’ve been waiting for hours, I’m hungry’ before assaulting the cabin crew member, according to eyewitnesses.
The incident occurred on the budget airline’s flight to Pristina in Kosovo, which had departed from Geneva. A witness who was standing near the man said: “He shouted at the stewardess, then he stood up and punched her, and when she fell to the floor he carried on hitting her.” Fellow passengers stepped in in order to restrain the man whilst the pilot was forced to divert the plane to Fuminco airport in the Italian capital for ‘security reasons’.
The stewardess later spoke to the media, saying “I was totally shocked. I can’t understand how anyone could react so violently over a sandwich.’ Italian police arrested a man whilst the stewardess was able to receive medical attention upon landing.
Easyjet confirmed the attack, saying a cabin crew member had been injured and her glasses had been broken. The other 180 passengers were taken to Pristina on a separate flight later that afternoon.
