An incident at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport brought attention to flight safety and the psychological effects of fear of flying. Ajet Airlines’ Şanlıurfa-Ankara flight was forced to return to the airport due to a passenger’s panic triggered by a fear of flying.
Last night at 9:35 PM, as the plane prepared for takeoff, a passenger who couldn’t control their fear requested to disembark. The cabin crew relayed the request to the pilot, and to prevent the situation from escalating and affecting other passengers, the pilot decided to return the plane to the gate.
Shortly before takeoff, the aircraft returned to the terminal, and the distressed passenger was removed from the plane. A delay in the flight followed, and it was noted that Şanlıurfa businessman Mehmet Fatih Bucak was also on board.
False Bomb Threat Claims
Following the incident, social media and some news outlets circulated false reports claiming that the flight’s return was due to a bomb threat. However, these claims were quickly proven to be baseless. The real reason for the return was the passenger’s fear of flying and resulting panic.
