Air transport

Malaga Airport reinforces security measures ahead of arrival of flight from Amsterdam with violent passenger on board

This was the third such incident in the space of a couple of days, following the one that forced a flight from Bucharest to the Canary Islands to be diverted because of another aggressive passenger

Málaga

10/11/2026 Actualizado a las 13:05h.

Two incidents in quick succession have once again forced Malaga Airport to step up security measures. On Monday, the control tower had to call in ... security personnel and prioritise the landing of two flights with violent passengers aboard.

The most recent incident took place just before midnight, on a flight from Amsterdam to Malaga. The crew, in coordination with the control tower and the Enaire control centre in Seville, urgently requested the assistance of the Guardia Civil on arrival due to the violent behaviour of a passenger.

Air traffic controllers arranged for the pilot to cut across and make a direct approach to runway 12, to reduce journey time. The police were already waiting on arrival.

The most serious incident occurred on Saturday evening on an international flight between Bucharest and Gran Canaria. The crew declared an emergency partway due to an individual exhibiting extremely disruptive behaviour, who was believed to be under the influence of psychoactive substances.

Faced with an imminent threat to cabin safety, the captain requested that the aircraft be immediately diverted to Malaga Airport.

The protocol was activated at Enaire's air traffic control centre in Seville to clear the aircraft's route and speed up its approach. The air traffic controllers cleared the flight path, facilitating a continuous descent and a direct approach to runway 12.

In parallel with the priority landing procedure, arrangements were made with the airport management for the Guardia Civil to be present on the tarmac. They proceeded to detain and identify the passenger as soon as the aircraft landed.

Via its channel on the X network, the air traffic controllers' union has publicly condemned the rise in such incidents on commercial routes and expressed support for the crews and passengers "who are increasingly having to endure these kinds of situations".

Read dedicated local reporting for Malaga city