A Liverpool-bound flight had to be turned around due to a 10-man brawl.
The Easyjet plane from Tenerife was due to arrive at John Lennon Airport shortly after 4am on Tuesday (July 21) before a fight broke out 30 minutes into its journey.
Passengers were said to be involved in the skirmishes during the planned four-and-a-half hour flight from the Canary Islands before returning to the runway.
Spanish air traffic control have confirmed the Airbus A320-214 returned to Tenerife South Airport a short time after take-off as a result of the on-board fracas.
“The crew of the Tenerife South to Liverpool flight, after about 30 minutes of flight, informs us that they need to return to the airport and requests a police presence upon arrival,” read a statement.
“A group of about a dozen passengers have started a fight on board, and the captain has decided to return due to the danger it poses to the integrity of the flight.
“We expedite their return as much as possible while coordinating with the airport for the police presence.
“They land and clear runway 07 without incident. All our support to crews and passengers who increasingly often endure these situations.”
An Easyjet spokesperson told the Liverpool Echo the flight completed its route back to the Speke terminal once the disruptive passengers were removed by police.
They added: “Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.
“We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour towards our staff.”