Drunken Stag Party Sparks Ryanair Emergency Landing
Imagine settling into your seat on a budget Ryanair flight, ready for a smooth trip from London to Alicante, Spain. Suddenly, chaos erupts mid-air. A passenger, heavily intoxicated, attempts to open the emergency exit door. The pilot has no choice but to make an emergency landing in Toulouse, France. What follows is a jaw-dropping scene of resistance and disorder that leaves passengers stunned and authorities scrambling to regain control.
This is exactly what happened in September 2025, when Daniel Ashley-Laws, a UK man allegedly drunk on duty-free liquor, sparked a mid-flight meltdown that escalated into a full-blown security incident.
The Incident That Shook the Cabin
Daniel Ashley-Laws, a dad, and builder, was reportedly part of a rowdy stag party traveling on a Ryanair flight from London Luton Airport to Alicante. According to police sources, Ashley-Laws was so intoxicated that he could barely stand, having consumed duty-free alcohol before boarding, as reported by The Sun.
Mid-flight, Ashley-Laws allegedly tried to open the emergency exit door, a move that terrified fellow passengers and forced the pilot to divert the flight to Toulouse for an emergency landing. The seriousness of this act cannot be overstated — tampering with an emergency exit mid-air is a direct threat to the safety of everyone on board.
A Struggle Unfolds
Upon landing, French police, including a unit of the Air Transport Gendarmerie Company, were waiting to detain Ashley-Laws and his companions. But the situation quickly escalated. Video footage that went viral shows Ashley-Laws resisting arrest fiercely. At one point, he reportedly climbs onto a seat, fighting with officers who are trying to remove him from the plane.
According to the New York Post, the officers eventually dragged him off the aircraft by his ear, a moment captured on video and shared widely on social media. The man's defiance was clear as he protested loudly, refusing to comply with police orders. His friends, some of whom were also removed from the plane, appeared to mock the arrest later, reportedly posting photos online that mimicked the ear-pulling incident in a seaside resort town.
The Aftermath and Legal Implications
The incident left passengers shaken, and Ryanair issued a statement confirming the flight diversion was due to several disruptive passengers. The airline reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for unacceptable behavior, emphasizing its commitment to ensuring smooth and safe journeys for all passengers and crew, as reported by the New York Post.
According to The Sun, in France, the maximum penalty for endangering the safety of an aircraft is five years in prison and a fine of about £60,000. Being drunk on a plane can also lead to up to two years in prison and a fine of around £4,000, penalties that apply in both France and the UK.
A Cautionary Tale for Partygoers
Ashley-Laws' actions turned what should have been a celebratory stag party into a public spectacle with legal repercussions. His behavior serves as a cautionary tale: no amount of pre-flight partying is worth risking lives or facing criminal charges.
If you're planning to enjoy duty-free drinks before a flight, remember that alcohol affects judgment and behavior, sometimes with dangerous consequences. Airlines and airports are increasingly vigilant, and incidents like this one show that authorities will not hesitate to intervene when safety is at risk.
References: Drunk passenger fought police after trying to open emergency door: video | Drunk stag do Brit who was hauled off Ryanair plane by heavily armed French cops after 'trying to open door' is named | The Sun
