Jet2 rewards eight-year-old boy with free flights after he 'calmed down irate woman'

Peter Stevens
Fri, 01 May 2026 05:50:23 +0000

Jet2 has rewarded an eight-year-old-boy and his father free flights after he calmed down an "irate" passenger.

James, father of Phoenix, eight, said a woman was "almost trying to smack the stewardesses" as the pair returned from Izmir, Turkey, to Manchester last Friday.

He requested the passenger be seated between him and his son.

He said Phoenix then "bounced into action" by distracting the woman.

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The eight-year-old showed her his football cards, sang, and asked the woman about her family, which gradually calmed down the woman for the remainder of the three-and-half hour flight.

Flight staff had planned to divert the plane before James intervened and suggested for the woman to sit between them.

The pilot shook hands with the father-son duo as they disembarked the plane as a sign of thanks.

Jet2 has now given the pair free flight vouchers.

James said the way his young son "took over the situation" was remarkable.

He also told BBC Radio Manchester the stewardess was "fantastic".

James told the br: "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."

The woman's "tone in her voice" began to calm down after a while, he said.

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Her vape was also confiscated by James, and Phoenix reminded her the e-cigarette was banned.

He added: "I'm sort of sat there in the end and I'm thinking to myself, thank God that Phoenix is with me because if he wasn't, I don't think I would have been able to handle it."

Phoenix said he makes football content on YouTube and cited this as the reason he had the confidence to take action.

On touchdown, the woman was brought into police custody.

The pilot said James and Phoenix had prevented an expensive diversion.

A spokesperson for Jet2 said: "The vast majority of customers have a brilliant experience when they fly with us, however our highly-trained crew are always there to look after everyone, as well as provide our friendly in-flight service.

"We have heard about how James and Phoenix reassured a fellow customer and we would like to congratulate and thank them for their kindness and care.

"We are arranging for a goodie pack to be sent to them, alongside a voucher for a pair of free flights, in recognition of what they did."