ZURICH — A transatlantic flight bound for New York was forced to divert back onto the taxiway at Zurich Airport (ZRH) after a violent, reportedly drunk passenger blew up the cabin, requiring police intervention before the plane could take off safely.
Taxiway incident
Swiss International Air Lines flight LX14The regularly scheduled long-haul flight from Zurich to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) was routinely delayed from gate E46. The flight was operated by the airline Airbus A330-300 with registration HB-JHA.
While taxiing to the runway, the crew was forced to stop the plane. The pilots immediately contacted air traffic control (ATC). They asked local police and ambulance to meet the plane. “We’re not sure how the passenger will react.”
Return to another gate
Instead of returning to the original gate, the Airbus A330 taxied back to a different position in the terminal:
- Exit gate: E46
- Arrival/return gate: E52
The plane remained parked at Gate E52 while local police and paramedics boarded.
Delay and possible departure
Once the passenger and his luggage were removed and the cabin was secured, flight LX14 was cleared to take off again. The flight finally took off runway 16 at 15:20which is approximately two hours later than the scheduled departure time.