A group of Israeli passengers who were flying from Tel Aviv to Athens on Wednesday found themselves in hot water after they decided to light up cigarettes on the plane. The Israir flight had to make an unscheduled landing in Thessaloniki, about 40 minutes north of the Greek capital, due to stormy weather conditions. While the plane was on the tarmac, waiting for clearance to resume its journey, some of the passengers ignored the flight crew’s warnings and smoked on board.
Greek police detain smokers
The cabin crew alerted the Greek police, who boarded the plane and escorted the smokers off. They were taken to a police station for questioning and could face fines or legal action for violating the anti-smoking laws in Greece. Smoking has been banned on most airlines for over two decades, and Greece has also imposed strict regulations on smoking in public places since 2010.
Israir condemns prohibited behavior
Israir, the Israeli airline that operated the flight, issued a statement condemning the behavior of the passengers who smoked on the plane. The company said that it “condemns in any way… prohibited behavior in-flight” and that “the safety and security of passengers are our top priority.” The statement also apologized to the other passengers who were inconvenienced by the incident and thanked them for their patience and cooperation.
Greece hit by record rainfall and flooding
The unscheduled landing in Thessaloniki was caused by the severe weather conditions that have affected Greece in recent days. The country has seen record rainfall that has led to flooding and landslides in some parts of the country. The Greek authorities have declared a state of emergency in several regions and have deployed rescue teams to assist the affected residents. The weather is expected to improve in the coming days.
Second incident of unruly behavior on Israeli flight this week
This was not the first time that an Israeli flight had to deal with unruly passengers this week. On Monday, a Wizz Air flight from Tel Aviv to London was forced to land in Belgrade after a passenger tried to attack the flight crew and open an emergency exit. The reason for the disturbance was not given, but some reports suggested that the passenger was drunk or mentally unstable. The other passengers spent the night in Belgrade and boarded a new flight to London on Tuesday.
