Flight passengers in THIS country stranded for over 17 hours after drunk couple caught...

A passenger plane was stranded for more than 17 hours in the United States recently, after a couple was caught smoking in the aircraft bathroom mid-air. The bizarre incident occurred on Tuesday (local time) when TUI Airways flight BY49, bound for London Gatwick Airport, took off from Cancun city in Mexico. The couple's act forced the flight to be diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine state of the US, according to a report by The New York Post.

Replacement flight arranged
The couple in question was believed to be drunk and taken away by staff, while the remaining passengers were told the plane would resume journey as soon as the necessary paperwork was done with. However, a 66-year-old British passenger told the publication the passengers were forced to sit for five more hours because the original flight crew could not fly as they had completed their legal working hours. Subsequently, a replacement flight had to be sent from the UK to the US to take the passengers to their destination. In the meantime, they were allegedly stuffed in a cramped lounge, which the British passenger said was the military airbase section of the airport. It was not until 3 pm the next day that the passengers finally departed for London -- a harrowing wait of over 17 hours since they had landed in Maine.

Reactions on social media
There were a flurry of reactions to the incident on social media, with many calling for stringent action against the couple. "Did the smokers get arrested? Will they be made to pay for the fuel and other expenses incurred by the airline? Will they have to compensate the passengers who missed their connections?" one user questioned. "They should've chastised them, and have them arrested at the gate. Not ground the whole plane. Back in the day people chain-smoked on planes," another opined.