BRITISH holidaymakers are the worst-behaving air passengers in Spain according to new data.
Figures released by the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency show more Brits are handed fines for bad behaviour on board planes than any other nationality.
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The Madrid-based agency, responsible for fining problem passengers who have been identified by police at Spanish airports, was notified last year of incidents involving 862 passengers.
Britain with 264 got the gold medal for bad behaviour ahead of Spain on 203 and third-placed Germany with 61.
Next on the list of shame were Italy on 32, and Ireland on 30, followed by France with 25.
The agency, the national aviation agency for Spain and part of the country’s Ministry of Development, also revealed it has fined 729 people just over €580,000 (£517,000) between 2017 and the end of March this year.
Brits topped the same list of shame for 2017.
Behaviour deemed “inappropriate” on board an aircraft can result in fines of up to €5,000 (£4,456), although problem passengers are also hit with the cost of flight diversions caused by their unruliness or violence.
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An AESA spokesman said: “No problems have been detected in the payment of the fines and people can appeal their penalties.”
An airport-by-airport breakdown of bad behaviour published by the agency also puts Brits well clear of other nationalities at most of the Costa destinations favoured by UK holidaymakers last year.
In Alicante on the Costa Blanca, 127 out of the 186 notifications were Brits – way ahead of Spaniards on 16 and the third-placed Irish on 15.
Spain occupies the top spot for Malaga – 23 ahead of the 19 that put Britain in second place.
But Brits were top for Palma Airport in Majorca – 48 ahead of the second-placed Germans on 36, who also made up the bulk of the 116 total.
The figures include all problem passengers who have been taken off planes by Civil Guard officers.
They are identified at those airports before their names and addresses are sent to the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency so they can be penalised.
Already this year, British holidaymakers have been involved in a number of incidents on board planes heading to Spain, which led to many being hauled off jets by police.
Offenders are rarely arrested and are normally dealt with by way of a fine sent to their UK homes.
Last Friday, Civil Guard officers were called to an easyJet flight from London Stansted when it touched down in Ibiza after a group of holidaymakers caused problems.
Passengers on the plane said one man who was hauled off refused to give his name and screamed “pussy” at a woman who was complaining about him.
The incident happened on board easyJet flight EZY3044 from London Stansted to Ibiza. The plane is thought to have landed around 9.30am last Friday.
Last month a group of drunk Brits heading to Benidorm were filmed guzzling beer from a funnel on a Ryanair plane – with the apparent encouragement of an air stewardess.
The men treated the aircraft like a nightclub as they took turns filming themselves on the beer bong in unbelievable scenes on board the early morning flight from London Stansted to Alicante.One lad was filmed lying on his back in the aisle as his intoxicated mates poured the contents of two beer cans into the funnel at the top of the plastic tube he had inserted into his mouth and roared with laughter when it spilled over him.
Incredibly, an air stewardess who appeared to be trying to calm the men down appeared to encourage them as one of the drunks begged her: “Can you hold it up?.”
She seemed to tell them “This is fine” in broken English before disappearing from the camera shot, hinting they were probably doing something even more outrageous moments earlier.
Police were not called to the plane when it touched down at Alicante Airport.
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Two days later – on May 27 – police in Majorca were called to haul a group of drunken Brits off a Jet2 plane after it touched down at Palma Airport from Edinburgh.
A Jet2 spokesman said afterwards: “Due to the disruptive behaviour of several passengers on board our flight from Edinburgh to Palma, we took the decision to call the Guardia Civil in Majorca to assist with the disembarkation of those disorderly travellers involved.
“As a family friendly airline we will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour towards our customers and staff alike. We are currently liaising with the relevant authorities in Spain.”
An AESA video published online warns holidaymakers: “Inappropriate behaviour on board, drinking, disorderly behaviour, disregarding crew instructions, could endanger the safety of the flight and give rise to a fine of up to €5,000.
“Do not put your holidays at risk.”
Spain is the top destination for British tourists, with around 18 million people from the UK visiting the country every year.
