Drunk Ryanair passenger Stephen Blofield jailed after forcing pilot to abort landing in Bristol

A man whose drunken and aggressive behavior on a Ryanair flight forced the pilot to abort a landing attempt has been jailed for 10 months.

Stephen Blofield, 61, was so drunk during his journey from Krakow to Bristol that both airline staff and holidaymakers feared for their safety.

Bristol Crown Court heard Blofield started drinking at the airport to calm his nerves before the flight, and continued to consume alcohol on the plane while abusing Polish cabin crew.

As the plane approached Bristol Airport on November 11, 2025, Blofield refused to sit down and put on his seatbelt, forcing the British pilot to abandon his first landing attempt.

After the plane’s final landing, police were waiting to arrest Blofield.

Prosecutor Ian Fenny said: “When officers boarded the plane and approached him they found him to be drunk, aggressive and belligerent.

“Due to the confined space in the fuselage of the plane, they were worried that he might get out and ignite the situation when they noticed that other passengers were already agitated.

“He was eventually arrested and handcuffed and in the process actually assaulted the passenger to his left, narrowly missing him.

“The lead officer effectively describes the defendant’s abuse as the worst treatment he has had to endure in his 20 years as a police officer.”

Mr Fenny said Blofield’s behavior was “so alarming and potentially dangerous” that he had to be removed from the aircraft using an ambulift normally reserved for disabled passengers.

“As a result of the defendant’s conduct, passengers were effectively trapped on board while the police, and in particular the cabin crew, attempted to evacuate the aircraft quietly and safely,” Mr Fenny said.

“This proved to be very difficult due to the defendant’s behavior and where he was actually seated on the plane.

“Some passengers thus had no choice but to be further subjected to what police described as the defendant’s disgusting verbal aggression.”

At an earlier hearing, Blofield, of Goshawk Road, Haverfordwest, West Wales, pleaded guilty to being drunk on board, using threatening or abusive language to cabin crew, failing to comply with the pilot’s instructions and using threatening, abusive words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress under the Public Order Act.

Sam Louwers, defending, explained that the defendant had lost his medication for back pain, depression and anxiety before flying to Poland and resorted to alcohol on the way home.

“After all, Mr. Blofield was a man from a difficult background who traced his family roots to Poland,” he said.

“When he found himself in Poland without his medication, he resorted to a form of withdrawal, confining himself to his hotel room and on that basis decided that he would have to return to the UK earlier than he had planned.

“When he arrived at the airport his anxiety, depression and pain levels were so high he became incredibly nervous about flying and so foolishly decided it was the right time to calm his nerves by having a drink at the airport, as most people do.”

He said the defendant had “no recollection” of the incident but had seen videos of his behavior posted on social media.

Mr Louwers said: “He never denied his behaviour, he never denied his actions and he explained to police that the reason he was struggling so hard was because of medical attention.”

“Mr. Blofield is distressed by his behavior and distressed by what he witnessed in these videos.

“He is also troubled by his presence before you today.

“He understands that his behavior can and does easily disturb other passengers and the airline.

“He understands that this could cause distress to other people and, most importantly, he understands that his behavior is unacceptable.”

Judge Euan Ambrose sentenced Blofield, who was on benefits and had a long criminal record, to 10 months in prison.

“This is a case in which only a prison sentence can be justified,” he told Blofield.

“This is so serious that no other form of punishment would be appropriate.

“You were drunk when you boarded the plane and you continued to drink while on the plane, getting increasingly drunk during the flight.

“Your behavior worsened, you became disruptive and aggressive, and you refused to comply with the crew’s basic safety instructions such as sitting down and wearing your seat belt.

“You have caused great anxiety and fear among your comrades, as well as fear and panic among the crew.”