James 'Diags' Bennewith has insisted he was removed from a flight home to England for "no reason", as the drama involving TOWIE stars and aeroplanes continues.
It was reported yesterday that ITV bosses are calling an emergency meeting with nine stars of the Essex-based reality TV show, after they were booted off a flight to London for allegedly vaping on board and refusing to wear a mask.
After attempting to fly back from the Dominican Republic, TOWIE star Pia Grace Smith told fans of the BAFTA winning show that "half the cast" have been removed from a flight to the UK.
The Sun reported that the reality TV stars have been spoken to by the police after their behaviour was described as "lunatic".
Speaking on his Instagram Stories, Diags, 31, has now attempted to distance himself from the drama - claiming to his followers that he, Dan Edgar and Jordan Brook had been removed from the flight for "no reason".
"Been flying for 24 hours now, still not home," the Essex native stated online as he sat alongside his two TOWIE co-stars in an airport terminal.
"Got thrown off a flight in Madrid for no reason, at all."
The star - who joined TOWIE for season 4 all the way back in 2012 - then went on to describe how the trio missed their flight because they didn't get their luggage off the plane they were removed from in time.
"All in all fantastic," Diags sarcastically quipped, after revealing another flight was delayed.
One their travel ordeal hit the 27-hours mark, the cheeky reality TV star tried to poke fun at the situation.
"It's getting long. If I don't make it, let my family know I love them, let my friends know," he dramatically quipped to his Instagram fans.
"Let Dan's family as well, he's always been a d***head to me. I never liked him, ever. I've just pretending this whole time.
"Jordan, I don't like him either. I don't want to go to my death bed with everyone thinking I like these two."
The TOWIE nine - five women and four men - reportedly refused to follow airline rules during their flight to Madrid, with claims one of the stars was vaping on board.
"Fumes were visible above their seats. They were asked to stop but refused. It was appalling behaviour. Absolutely idiotic," an insider told The Sun.
It has been claimed that repeated requests from flight crew were ignored and when the aircraft arrived in Madrid yesterday morning, the TOWIE stars were refused boarding for the connecting flight to London.
An Air Europa spokeswoman said: "There was an incident on the flight.
"Following protocol, several passengers were asked to leave the plane for refusing to wear the mandatory masks and one of them for smoking inside the aircraft.
"While leaving the plane, they were accompanied by other passengers without further incident."
A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed: “At 2.55pm yesterday (TUE) the captain of the plane requested our presence on board an aircraft at Madrid’s Barajas Airport which had touched down from the Dominican Republic to deal with people we were told were causing a public order disturbance.
"Civil Guard officers found these people a little upset when they reached the aircraft.
"On the indications of the captain and to avoid any more problems nine people, consisting of four men and five women who are all British nationals, were removed from the plane and after the corresponding complaint from the captain they are now set to face a fine.
"While officers were carrying out the process of identifying all the people that were removed from the plane so they can be notified of the amount of the fines at a future date, they ended up missing their onward flight.
"Police were due to accompany them to another flight bound for the UK last night (TUE) so they could leave Madrid.
"No arrests were made and after being accompanied off the earlier flight, the nine people removed were very co-operative.
Newbie Pia Grace Smith discussed the incident on her Instagram Stories, as she waited at Madrid airport for another flight.
"So, 24 hours later, we’re still not travelling," the fed-up star told her followers.
She continued: "We got chucked off the flight because we didn’t wear masks. There was like half the cast that got chucked off but we’ve had to sit in Madrid airport for 10 hours.
"I’m not going to get back to UK soil until 11.30 so I won’t be home in my bed until 1am."
Pia concluded by describing the situation by saying: "This is nuts"
The Mirror has previously contacted ITVBe for comment.
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