Shock as easyJet passenger holding a baby is punched in row with airport worker
A witness described on Twitter the scene at the airport as “absolute chaos”.
EasyJet said yesterday it was “urgently” seeking answers to the incident. The airline said the worker was not a member of its staff but was believed to work for Nice airport’s special assistance provider Samsic.
Police are examining CCTV footage along with the photo taken by Arabella Arkwright, 49. She had been returning from holiday with her husband Johnnie and two teenage children when the incident happened.
She said: “Everyone was having the most appalling day and then, all of a sudden, a man holding a baby gets whacked.
“It all kicked off after the father’s wife was talking to the man as they were getting no information about the delay.”
She said: “This guy literally smirked, as if, basically ‘ **** you’, and then whack. My husband pulled him off, he was appalled.” Mrs Arkwright said the man with the baby was taken away by police but the passengers demanded he be let on the flight. She added “all the plane clapped” when he boarded. Another passenger Alex Athienitis said the airport worker was “laughing and goading passengers and seemed amused people were upset”. Businesswoman Mrs Arkwright, from Warwickshire, has written to easyJet bosses to demand they write to passengers with an explanation about the incident and delay.
An easyJet spokesman “sincerely” apologised for the flight delay due to a technical problem, adding: “The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is our highest priority. easyJet sincerely apologises for the delay.”