Fianna Fail Senator Timmy Dooley has called for disruptive passengers to face a lifetime ban from flying after he witnessed “outrageous behaviour” of four “drunk men” who tormented women throughout a flight.
Mr Dooley was travelling home from Ukraine via Poland to Dublin on Tuesday night when he witnessed a young woman being groped.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, he said: “There were four drunk men on board the flight and one man groped a young woman’s backside and she was very upset.
READ MORE: New Spain law that Irish holidaymakers need to be aware of if they want a cheaper trip this Easter
“It got quite intense as a couple of passengers on board then attempted to intervene and clobber the man for what he had done.
“The four men then kept attempting to get into seats that were vacant and beside other women.
“There were women crying and women with children who may have been fleeing the war in Ukraine.
“They used very sexualised language and it was uncomfortable for everyone.”
Mr Dooley said anyone that is disruptive on flights should be placed on a watch list and find it difficult to ever fly again.
He said: “For characters like this there should be a lifetime ban on air travel and never be in a position to traumatise air passengers again.”
He told how he was travelling with Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher and a cameraman.
The staff on board the Buzz flight, which is owned by Ryanair, requested help from the politicians to help calm the situation on board.
Mr Dooley said: “I have to commend the flight attendant and all staff on board for their professionalism in handling the situation given the level of activity on board the flight.
“The air steward was very discreet when they asked for assistance and we were asked to go and sit beside the men to talk to them and try and calm them down.
“I have to praise the Ryanair staff on board who were really professional and were clearly trained to the highest level of dealing with these difficult situations.”
A Garda spokeswoman confirmed that gardai attended to a public order incident in Dublin Airport on Tuesday and two males were arrested.
She said they were taken to Dublin Airport Garda Station where they were later released but that “investigations are ongoing.”
A spokeswoman for Ryanair said: “The crew of this flight from Krakow to Dublin called ahead for Garda assistance on arrival after 3 passengers became disruptive inflight.
“The aircraft landed normally, and gardai removed these passengers before the remainder of the passengers safely disembarked the aircraft.”
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
