A father who helped prevent a Jet2 flight from being diverted by calming a disruptive passenger insists his eight-year-old son is the true hero. James Rose, 42, from Salford, and his son Phoenix intervened to pacify a troublesome traveller on a plane from Izmir, Turkey, last Friday.
Passenger John Henderson, 47, told the Manchester Evening News the flight was scheduled to depart at 8pm but took off 50 minutes late after about 20 passengers were transferred from a cancelled service. Trouble began around 30 minutes into the flight, just after the initial drinks service, when a woman was found consuming her own alcohol, which was confiscated.
“She then just erupted, calling them names, being violent towards them,” Henderson said. Cabin crew warned the woman the aircraft would be diverted if she did not calm down. Rose asked if he could talk to her, and the disruptive passenger was moved to sit next to him. Henderson said Rose kept her composed, listening and talking to her, completely in control.
Dad Praises Son’s Role
Rose said he was astonished by the reaction to the story but insisted the praise belongs to his son. He and Phoenix were returning home after cutting their holiday short due to a family emergency. “I’m not the hero,” Rose said. “It was me lad. The way he handled the situation, he calmed her down. She was swearing and calling them every name under the sun.”
Rose asked the crew for 30 seconds and had the woman seated between him and Phoenix. “That’s when my lad took over. He was absolutely fantastic. He was saying to her ‘don’t shout, don’t swear… what do your kids do?’” Phoenix stuck to the woman like glue, tapping her to keep her engaged. “Every time she tried to go off he would tap her and say ‘come on, talk to me’. It was just magnificent to see.”
Passenger Praises Young Boy
Henderson described Phoenix as an “absolute superstar”, chatting to the woman and assisting his dad. “He was getting out football cards, constantly in conversation with her,” he said. The stewardesses repeatedly expressed gratitude, saying Rose saved Jet2 a significant amount of money.
After the plane landed, Rose felt relief. “We got in a taxi and went home and never thought nothing of it. When I’ve seen the comments, I was shocked with the response. People are saying really nice things.” Phoenix, he said, just hopes the woman is okay. “He’s been asking how the lady is. He’s very thoughtful and said ‘I hope she gets the help and care she needs’.”
Rose reflected: “My mum always taught me that you help people and it’s nice to be nice. If we could help one person, fantastic.” Greater Manchester Police confirmed officers attended the scene, though no crimes were reported.
