A Ryanair passenger discovered what appeared to be a damaged window beside his seat during flight, sparking alarm amongst fellow travellers.
Aarron Greaves from St Helens, Merseyside, found the apparent damage after boarding the aircraft at Manchester Airport en route to Ibiza.
The discovery prompted widespread concern throughout the cabin, with passengers reportedly avoiding the impacted area.
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The incident occurred on a flight bound for the popular Spanish party destination.
Cabin crew members responded to the situation by providing reassurance to worried passengers about the aircraft's safety.
Mr Greaves, 32, expressed his concern about the discovery, stating: "Everyone was scared and no one wanted to sit near it."
The damage became apparent when he opened the window shade, revealing it had been present before passengers boarded.
The Ryanair flight took off from Manchester Airport
|PA
"I saw the crack after opening the window, so it was already there when I got on the plane," Greaves explained.
Despite his initial worry, flight attendants quickly intervened to address passenger concerns.
"The crew came over and told us that an engineer has checked and it is structurally sound, but they didn't say how it happened," he recounted.
"I was pretty worried, but it all worked out OK in the end."
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A general view of the airport from Manchester Airport (stock pic) | PAFootage captured during the incident revealed Greaves demonstrating the extent of the damage by pushing his finger through the plastic window covering.
The visual evidence highlighted the concerning nature of the discovery, though it later emerged the actual aircraft window remained intact.
Flight attendants informed concerned passengers that an engineer had already inspected the damage and confirmed the aircraft's structural integrity.
However, crew members did not provide an explanation for how the damage occurred.
The incident concluded without further complications, with the flight proceeding to its destination as scheduled despite initial passenger apprehension about the window's condition.
The budget airline issued an official statement addressing the incident, clarifying the nature of the damage.
A Ryanair spokesman said: "We note that the window reveal (which is used only to protect the window from scratches) was found to be damaged and has since been replaced."