Daily Mail — A nursery school teacher was banned from flying home from a Crete holiday because she opened her own miniature bottle of vodka on the flight out there.
Xanthia Morrison was due to return to Glasgow from Heraklion on a Jet2 flight after spending a week in Crete for her friend’s wedding.
But the airline banned her and a friend from the return journey amid claims she had become ‘aggressive’ when warned not to drink her own alcohol on the outbound flight.
The 34-year-old had to buy an alternative flight home and was left £400 out of pocket. She has now accused the airline of making false allegations and using heavy-handed tactics.
She passed a recording of the incident to MailOnline in which the pair were assured it had been a misunderstanding and that they would be able to fly home.
She told us: ‘I have been left disgusted and upset. I just can’t believe the airline were allowed to do this to us and how easy it is for staff to make up lies leaving passengers in foreign countries.’
Ms Morrison and her friend had bought a four miniature bottles of alcohol before boarding the Jet2 flight from Glasgow on June 21. She claims she had ‘no idea’ that they were not allowed to drink their own alcohol on board.
When a stewardess told them they were not allowed to have drinks, the pair apparently apologised and handed over the bottles. They then purchased food and alcohol from the airplane trolley.
But, according to Ms Morrison, another staff member then handed the pair a threatening letter and warned that police would be called if they did not co-operate.
‘She asked for our passport details and began threatening that if we did not hand them over, the police would be called,’ Ms Morrison said.
A spokesman for Jet2 said it has a ‘zero-tolerance approach to aggressive behaviour’ on all its flights
‘We then gave our details to another stewardess, who apologised for her colleague’s behaviour. She told us that we would be able to fly with Jet2 on our return and not to worry.’
In the recording, which was made on a mobile phone, the stewardess can be heard telling the pair that the incident ‘should not ruin their holiday’. They were also assured that the passport numbers were just for information and would not affect their return journey.
The woman was also heard accepting the couple’s claim that they had not known they were acting against the rules.
But, while they were in Crete, Ms Morrison received a phone call from Jet2 to say she and her friend were not allowed to return home because they had displayed ‘aggressive behaviour’.
The company also claimed the pair had continued to drink their own alcohol even after being told to stop – a claim Ms Morrison strongly disputes.
Ms Morrison added: ‘These allegations are completely untrue and, frankly, quite frightening. I can’t believe Jet2 staff can make up lies and leave customers stranded in a foreign country.
‘We had to cut our holiday short and pay £400 for a new flight. This has put me off flying again.’
A Jet2 spokesman said: ‘Having carefully consulted the cabin crew report, we took the decision to refuse carriage for two customers returning from Crete to Glasgow.’
‘We understand Miss Morrison is unhappy with this. We have explained the actions taken by her party that have resulted in this decision. We take a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive behaviour on our flights.’
