Ryanair staff have admitted pulling a sneaky trick to calm rowdy passengers on flights.
While the vast majority of flights take off and land without a hitch, for violence to break out in the cabin is not unheard of.
Videos of passengers scrapping in the aisle are a relatively regular feature during the summer holiday season.
In May one Ryanair customer was filmed shouting "what, what?" at another holidaymaker, while crew members kept the two men apart.
At one point the topless troublemaker appeared to throw a punch, which fell short of its target.
Often flight attendants are left to calm such passengers down while attempting to avoid endangering themselves when things become violent.
On occasions when passenger behaviour seems to be getting out of hand - often on flights back from Greek and Spanish party islands - staff have a trick up their sleeve.
A Ryanair pilot told The Mirror: "Sometimes if the passengers are being annoying then the cabin crew ask us to turn the seatbelt signs on as if there's turbulence, just so everyone sits down and the cabin crew can relax."
A flight attendant added: "We refer to it as our artificial turbulence, and yes it happens."
On occasions the pilot will announce that a spot of turbulence is incoming and that all passengers must return to their seats and put their seatbelts on for their safety.
In truth, there is no turbulence, beyond that caused by the boozed-up clientele.
"It depends on pilots how often it's done," the cabin crew member continued.
"Some don't like to do it, some love to do it. I have had flights where I have stopped service all together because passengers don't have any manners."
As well as issues with behaviour onboard, Ryanair staff are enduring a difficult spell at the moment, with the rosters under pressure due to post-lockdown staffing issues
Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, has warned that flight delays and cancellations will continue "right throughout the summer" as airports suffer amid staff shortages.
He said passengers should brace for a "less than satisfactory experience", with flight delays due to last across the peak season and some airlines cancelling between 5% and 10% of flights.
The CEO told Sky News this was "deeply regrettable".
"This problem is going to continue particularly at airports like Gatwick and Heathrow right throughout the summer," he said.
"It will be worse at weekends and better during the week."
