Drunk Briton arrested after on-board brawl with crew and passengers as he 'tried to open door mid-air'

The man is said to have been so drunk that he did not realise the plane was still in the air.

Other passengers onboard helped the crew restrain him during a fight when he reportedly became aggressive.

The Easyjet flight departed Gatwick Airport on Thursday for Alicante-Elche in Spain, according to Spanish newspaper Informacion.es.

Witnesses said the Briton had already been disrupting passengers with his drunk behaviour.

While mid-air, the man reportedly tried to open a door to "get off quicker".

It is believed that he had not realised that the aircraft had not yet landed.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Egypt 'holiday hell' as Briton left fighting for her life after picking up hepatitis
• Jet2 launches new routes from 12 UK airports to Spain, Cyprus and more
• EasyJet flight disrupted by drunken mum and son's 'terrifying' behaviour towards crew

The pilot then requested help from the Civil Guard on touch-down, it has been reported.

"Apparently, the traveller boarded already drunk but his condition worsened during the flight, since the altitude enhances the effects of alcohol," the Informacion.es report said.

"At one point, he got into a fight with other travellers, whom he attacked after insulting and provoking them.

"When the company's onboard personnel intervened, he also tried to hit them.

"And not only that. In the midst of a brawl, he tried to open the plane door to get off, without being aware that they were in mid-flight, and then tried to access the cabin.

"Finally, the passenger helped the crew to immobilise him and, as soon as the aircraft landed in El Altet, the Civil Guard entered and detained him."

The London to Alicante flight route sees the second-highest number of on-flight incidents, according to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency.

GB News has approached easyJet for comment.