On 5 July 2023, an easyJet flight from Lanzarote to Liverpool was delayed for around two hours after the captain asked 20 passengers to get off the plane because the total weight was too much for the short runway and prevailing weather conditions.
The easyJet Airbus A320 aircraft, registration G-EZTL, was scheduled to take off as flight EZY23364 at 21:45 local time, but was delayed due to strong winds and high temperatures, as well as 20 passengers having to get off the plane.
The captain determined that the aircraft was too heavy to take off safely in the adverse weather conditions and ordered 20 passengers to deplane. The selection was made on a voluntary basis.
In the end, 19 passengers volunteered to leave the flight and each received 500 euros as compensation. The flight finally took off at 23:33 and arrived in Liverpool at 3:00 local time.
In a video shot by one of the passengers, the pilot said: “Thank you all for being here today. The heavy aircraft combined with a fairly short runway and the current adverse weather conditions in Lanzarote prevent us from taking off safely. "
“With safety as our number one priority, there is no way in the current wind conditions that we will be able to carry you all on this flight. There are a number of factors – it's very hot, the wind is not fantastic, the aircraft is too heavy for the current weather conditions. "
An easyJet spokesman said: "easyJet can confirm that 19 passengers on flight EZY3364 from Lanzarote to Liverpool offered to travel on a later flight yesterday evening as the aircraft exceeded weight limits for adverse weather conditions.
The spokesman added that “The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority".