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easyJet pilot makes 19 passengers get off Lanzarote flight due to weight of plane and weather conditions
The flight from Spain to Liverpool was delayed for 2 hours while the passengers were removed
Nineteen passengers were made to get off an easyJet flight from Lanzarote to Liverpool after the pilot decided the plane was "too heavy" to take off in adverse weather conditions.
The flight was due to take off at 9.45pm on Wednesday July 5, but didn't leave the tarmac until 11.30pm and arrived at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport shortly after 3am the following morning.
In an announcement to the passengers, the pilot told passengers: "Thanks for getting here today. Because there are so many of you it's a pretty heavy aircraft," reports the Liverpool Echo.
"That heavy aircraft combined with a pretty short runway and with the current unfavourable conditions here in Lanzarote, means the aircraft is too heavy to take off. I've been sat with my senior first officer and we're very experienced with this and have done this before.
"With safety as our number one priority, there is no way, with the current wind conditions, that we could get this aircraft airborne. There are a number of factors – it's very hot, the wind isn't fantastic, the direction isn't great."
He then went on to say: "Now, you might be wondering what happens next and that's what I've come in here to say. I have spoken with our operations team and the one way to solve a problem with a heavy aircraft is to make it slightly lighter.
"If possible, I would like to ask up to 20 volunteers to choose not to fly to Liverpool tonight. If anyone wants to volunteer there will be an incentive. The current number we've been quoted by easyJet is up to 500 euros per passenger who is willing to not fly tonight."
A spokesperson for easyJet confirmed that 19 passengers volunteered to leave the flight and travelled on a later flight "as a result of the aircraft being over the weight limits for the weather conditions".
They added: "This is a routine operational decision in these circumstances and weight restrictions are in place for all airlines for safety reasons. In the event that a flight would exceed weight limits, we ask for passengers to volunteer to transfer to a later flight free of charge which is what happened on this occasion and volunteers are provided with compensation in line with regulations."
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