Screen grab from Andrew Wolff’s Instagram account
MANILA, Philippines – Cebu Pacific on Friday confirmed to media that one of its planes on its way to Pagadian had to return to Manila because of an “unruly passenger.”
“Cebu Pacific flight 5J 771 Manila-Pagadian returned to Manila, shortly after take-off today, March 20, 2015,” a Cebu Pacific statement said.
“The unruly passenger was offloaded from the flight. The flight departed Manila at 9:20AM and arrived at 10:37AM in Pagadian on the same day,” it added.
However, the company did not give details on the passenger.
“Under the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines and the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008, it is illegal to behave in a manner that is threatening to crew members and passengers,” the statement said. “Anyone who violates the law will be intercepted by the police upon landing. Anyone found guilty of violating the law may be liable for a fine of up to Php 500,000 and/or 3 years of imprisonment.”
An earlier Inquirer report, quoting an Instagram post by athlete and model Andrew Wolff, said actress Melissa Mendez was offloaded from a Cebu Pacific plane after refusing to leave a seat reserved for Wolff and his friend.
READ: Cebu Pacific flight returns to airport to unload actress due to unruly behavior
The model said Mendez “smelled like a beer brewery” and even punched his friend.
As the actress was allegedly being restrained by flight attendants, the captain announced that the plane would have to return to Manila.
“I regularly travel on planes for work, but this has got to be probably one of the most ridiculous things that I have experienced,” Wolff posted.