A British man faces up to five years in prison after attempting to open the door of a Ryanair plane while in flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Toulouse, France.

The plane was en route from London Luton Airport to Alicante in southern Spain when panic broke out among passengers due to the drunken man’s behavior and his group of “drunken men,” some of whom tried to intervene violently and ignored crew instructions.

Investigations, according to the Daily Mail, revealed that the accused, described as a “gang leader,” tried to open the emergency exit door while the crew attempted to calm the situation and protect children on board.

After landing, the Air Transport Gendarmerie unit stormed the plane, restrained the offenders, and removed them from the cabin.

A source said the father’s blood alcohol level was extremely high, requiring him to be taken to a border police cell to regain consciousness. Four of his friends were also arrested simultaneously.

French authorities confirmed the flight resumed after the “troublemakers” were removed, praising the professionalism of the flight crew in handling the dangerous situation.

Ryanair issued an official statement: “We have a zero-tolerance policy towards unacceptable passenger behavior and will continue to take measures to ensure a safe journey for all passengers and crew members.”

Data indicates an increase in incidents involving intoxicated passengers on planes, with France recording 40 incidents per 1000 flights in 2024 compared to 30 incidents in 2021.

Aviation experts call for restricting alcohol consumption at airports and creating blacklists for problematic passengers.

The maximum penalty in France for endangering aircraft safety is five years in prison and a fine of about £60,000, while intoxicated passengers on UK flights face up to two years and a fine of £4,000.