A 79-year-old woman was escorted off a flight by armed police in Turkey after a dispute over a "frozen" tuna sandwich, according to a report.
The incident unfolded on November 3, on a flight from London Stansted Airport to Bodrum, Turkey on a Jet2 flight. The woman, known as Lily, ordered a £9 ($11.43) tuna sandwich, but refused to pay for it after discovering it was frozen in the middle, according to the BBC.
The airline insisted on payment because she had opened the sandwich, which then further escalated the situation.
After landing, Lily and her daughter were met by four armed police officers who escorted them off the plane.
"They called the police. Not one... but four police at the end, at the door," Lily said on a BBC program. "I was in shock, I was saying to people, 'I think I've been arrested over a sandwich'."
Jet2 stated that the passenger displayed disruptive behavior, including consuming her own alcohol, while Lily denied the allegations, calling the accusations a "disgusting lie."
"As a family-friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to such behaviour, and we make it very clear that customers cannot consume their own alcohol on flights," an airline spokesperson said. "We will always support our crew in instances when they are subjected to rude or unpleasant behaviour while prioritising the safety and comfort of all passengers and crew."
While no charges were filed, Lily's daughter sent a formal complaint to Jet2, criticizing their behavior and handling of the situation. Meanwhile, the airline remains adamant they did no wrong.
"I don't know what they're talking about," Lily said. "I think they're so embarrassed over this sandwich and the police and the way we were treated ...They are the ones that behaved disgustingly and disturbed me all the way through the flight."
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