By Kiera Howard 
European travelers faced another disruption in August when a passenger’s medical crisis forced an emergency landing
A passenger experiencing a severe medical emergency tried to reach the cockpit of an easyJet flight minutes after takeoff from Lyon on 22 August, forcing pilots to abort the journey to Porto and return to the departure airport.
The 26 year old Portuguese man was having an acute psychotic episode when he attempted to access the flight deck. Fellow passengers and cabin crew restrained him as the plane turned back.
Everyone landed safely 45 minutes later. Nobody was hurt.
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The Incident Unfolded Quickly
The flight left the gate at 18:34, already an hour behind schedule. About 15 minutes after takeoff, as the Airbus A320 climbed through 20,000 feet, the passenger suddenly lost control.
He moved towards the cockpit door. Other passengers immediately jumped in to help crew members restrain him.
The pilots declared an emergency at 18:51, broadcasting squawk 7700. That’s the code that tells air traffic control something serious is happening on board. They abandoned the climb and swung the aircraft back towards Lyon.
“Flight EJU4429 from Lyon to Porto returned back to Lyon shortly after take off due to the behaviour of a passenger onboard,” easyJet confirmed afterwards. “The flight was met by police on arrival.”
The plane touched down on runway 35R at 19:19 and taxied to a remote parking area away from the main terminal.
What Passengers Saw
Claire Dubois was on the flight. “One moment everything was perfectly normal, and then the man just lost control,” she said. “Others jumped in right away to try and restrain him.”
Rui Fernandes, another passenger, described the atmosphere on board. “You trust the system, you trust the pilots, but this event was a stark reminder of everything that can happen when a person’s mind is overwhelmed.”
The cabin went tense fast, but crew kept things under control during the emergency descent back to Lyon.
Medical Crisis, Not Criminal Action
French police were waiting when the aircraft arrived. They took the passenger off the plane and straight to a Lyon hospital.
Doctors diagnosed him with delirium and an acute psychotic disorder. They said airsickness caused it, not alcohol or drugs.
Police said the man had no criminal record.
Dr. Marianne Leclerc, who works with patients affected by travel related health issues, explained that flying can trigger unexpected reactions. “The anxiety, the physical discomfort, and sometimes underlying health conditions can trigger acute confusion or delirium,” she said.
French authorities treated this as a medical situation rather than criminal behaviour. The country’s aviation safety bureau didn’t open an investigation because the problem was medical, not related to the aircraft or how the crew performed.
Flight Completed Journey Hours Later
Once police finished their work and safety teams cleared the aircraft, it was ready to go again. The plane left Lyon that evening and made it to Porto.
The other passengers reached Porto several hours behind schedule but safely.
Context for European Travelers
Passenger disruptions have increased across European aviation since pandemic travel restrictions ended. Data from the International Air Transport Association shows these incidents now happen once every 395 flights, up from once every 405 flights in 2023.
This case was different because the passenger had a diagnosed psychiatric condition that made him unable to control his actions, not deliberate misconduct.
easyJet has a perfect 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com and hasn’t had a fatal accident in three decades.
The aircraft involved returned to regular service on the Lyon to Porto route the following day.