Father, 8-Year-Old Phoenix Help Calm Jet2 Flight Diversion

Father James and his 8-year-old son Phoenix helped calm a disruptive passenger on a Jet2 flight from Izmir to Manchester on Friday, preventing a diversion that had already been authorised. The boy calms passenger jet2 flight unfolded over a three-and-a-half hour journey, ending with the woman taken into police custody on touchdown.

Phoenix and James

James said the woman was "almost trying to smack the stewardesses," and cabin staff moved her to a seat between him and Phoenix at his request. Phoenix said he "got the confidence to calm her down" from making YouTube content on football, and he used football cards, singing and questions about the woman's family to help settle her.

James described Phoenix as having "bounced into action - getting his footy cards out," including cards of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "She's screaming, she's shouting, she's still being irate. And he starts singing to her, he starts talking about his football to her, talking about her family, asking her about her kids," James said.

Jet2 and the pilot

By the end of the journey, the passenger had gradually calmed down. The pilot shook hands with James and Phoenix as they disembarked, and later said their intervention prevented an expensive diversion for Jet2.

Jet2 then rewarded James and Phoenix with free flight vouchers. A Jet2 spokesman told them, "I want to say a massive thank you to you both on behalf of everybody at Jet2."

Manchester Landing

The woman was taken into police custody after the plane landed in Manchester. For passengers on the flight, the outcome meant the journey continued to its planned arrival rather than ending in a diversion, after staff had already been authorised to turn the plane away because of her behaviour.

James said of Phoenix, "The way he took over the situation, I've not seen anything like it." He also said, "thank god that Phoenix is with me because if he wasn't, I don't think I would have been able to handle it."