19 Passengers Were Asked To Deboard After Aircraft gets ‘Too Heavy For Take-off’ – News18

Around 19 passengers were requested to get off an EasyJet flight citing poor weather conditions and excess weight. The incident is said to have occurred on Wednesday, July 5, on a Liverpool-bound flight from Lanzarote. In footage of the incident circulating across social media platforms, the pilot was recorded addressing the passengers about the plane being “too heavy to take off.” While doing so, the man also requested people to volunteer to get off the plane adding the airway line will compensate for the damages with money. Initially, the pilot tries to explain the technicality of why the plane can’t be airborne.

He highlights the unfavourable winds and the short runaway to be the main reason why the aircraft cannot depart. “Because there are so many of you, it’s a pretty heavy aircraft. That heavy aircraft combined with a fairly short runway and some winds, which aren’t particularly favourable at the moment, means that with the current unfavourable conditions here in Lanzarote, means the aircraft is too heavy to depart,” he can be heard saying.

The pilot emphasises the safety of the passengers as their top priority before listing out the factors causing the flight delay. He continues, “With safety as our number one priority, there is no way, with the current wind conditions, that we could get this aircraft airborne. There are a number of factors – it’s very hot, the wind isn’t fantastic, the direction isn’t great.”

The man then explains the best way the airline came up with to resolve the issue is by making the aircraft slightly lighter. He requests, “If possible, I would like to ask up to 20 volunteers to choose not to fly to Liverpool tonight.” Following suit comes the information about the incentive that the airline is ready to pay for those willing to get off the airplane.

“The current number we’ve been quoted by EasyJet is up to €500 (approx Rs 45,000) per passenger who is willing to not fly tonight,” he concluded. Watch the video here:

A spokesperson of the airline confirmed to the Independent, that reducing passengers is a “routine operational decision” when an aircraft exceeds the weight limit. “The safety and welfare of our passengers and crew is always EasyJet’s highest priority,” said the representative. They also reportedly added that the passengers left behind were transferred to a later flight free of cost.