A Ryanair flight departing from Edinburgh Airport was delayed for two hours on July 3 after a 21-year-old male passenger was removed from the aircraft for violating aviation regulations by vaping in the lavatory, as reported by The New York Post.
The flight, bound for Alicante, Spain, was initially delayed due to a crew illness. However, the situation escalated when the onboard smoke detector was activated, reportedly by the same passenger using an e-cigarette inside the aircraft’s restroom.

The incident resulted in law enforcement boarding the plane and escorting the man off the aircraft before departure.
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Tristan James Walker, 39, a fellow passenger on the flight, captured video of the removal and later spoke to Jam Press about the incident. “He was taken off, he was very calm, didn’t argue or anything, no drama,” Walker said.
According to Walker, a flight attendant informed the pilot after the smoke alarm was triggered. “The pilot then came out after the air stewardess explained what happened, and then the pilot stated he would be removed from the plane,” Walker recalled.

Six officers boarded the plane and escorted the individual off the flight. He was taken into custody and placed into a van waiting on the tarmac. The aircraft was able to depart approximately two hours after its originally scheduled 9:45 a.m. takeoff time.
Moment a passenger was hauled off Ryanair flight by police for ‘vaping in toilets’ after two-hour flight delay.. https://t.co/lryxJWnmXd
— Paula London (@misspaulalondon) August 4, 2025
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In a statement provided by Police Scotland, authorities confirmed the arrest. “The 21-year-old man was charged in connection with an aviation offence,” the spokesperson said.
Later, Walker claimed to have encountered the same individual at Calle Gerona, a popular nightlife district in Benidorm, Spain. The man reportedly informed him that he had been blacklisted by Ryanair as a result of the vaping incident.
21 year-old ‘banned’ from Ryanair for vaping during boarding’ #ryanair #dailyexpress #edinburghairport #vaping #dailyexpress pic.twitter.com/nA78dLBr3r
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) August 4, 2025
This event follows a growing number of disruptions linked to passengers violating in-flight smoking and vaping regulations. Just last month, a separate incident involving passengers smoking on a plane led to a 17-hour delay at a Maine airport.
The incident underscores ongoing safety and compliance concerns within the airline industry, particularly related to vaping and electronic devices onboard.
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