4 Israelis banned from Cyprus for wild behavior on plane
Youths detained and blacklisted upon landing in Cyprus after disturbing crew and passengers aboard Arkia flight
The unruly group refused to take their seats, shouted and threw garbage on the floor. When a flight attendant asked them to sit down, they swore at her and continued to spit seed peels on the plane's floor.
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"I was ashamed of their behavior," one passenger recalled. "They simply ruined the flight for everyone."
The four were detained by local authorities as soon as the plane landed in Larenka, Cyprus, and were held for questioning for several hours. Upon their release, the were informed that they have been blacklisted, and are no longer welcome to visit the country. They were then put on the next flight back to Israel.
Arkia Airlines said that the four will not be allowed to board an Arkia flight in the future.
A Foreign Ministry official dubbed the youths' misconduct as "ugly Israeli" behavior.
"They ignore rules and regulations, embarrass us and put themselves and everyone around them at risk," the official said, adding that Israelis travelling abroad are not just tourists but also representatives of Israel.
