Police taser Gatwick flyer

Police tasered the man onboard the easyJet plane at Gatwick airport, near London, after he became disruptive, The Independent reported.

Passengers praised easyJet and Sussex police for the way they handled the incident.

Niall Copeland wrote: “Man getting arrested on @easyJet flight home to #Belfast because he wants 2 pieces of hand luggage!”

He added: “All because he was insistent of wearing his man purse”.

Stage actor Gary Trainor from Moneyglass was on the flight and said some people, including a young girl, seemed very upset by the whole ordeal.

Copeland tweeted that the man wanted to bring two carry-ons, despite the rules only allowing passengers one.

Easyjet apologised for the disruption to other passengers in a statement on its website.

Sussex police confirmed they attended the incident and took the man into custody after he was “tasered on the aircraft” while it waited to depart. The man refused to do so, demanding to know why his “man purse” caused a problem as a carry-on.

“Police officers were called to the EasyJet flight shortly after 8 a.m.to reports of a passenger who was becoming increasingly abusive following a dispute over luggage”.

According to tweets from fellow passengers on flight EZY831, the man became abusive just before take-off after an argument about how many pieces of hand luggage he could take on board. “The Taser was then pulled and he was told he would be Tasered if he did not cooperate”.

He was arrested and charged with breaching the peace.

‘We wish to apologise for the further delay to your flight this morning, ‘ a spokesman said.

Witness statements are being taken from passengers and crew aboard the plane.