Captain asks passengers to volunteer to get off easyJet plane that was 'too HEAVY to fly' (and they get £250 compensation each)

Passengers were asked to volunteer to get off an easyJet plane because it was too heavy, it has been claimed.

The captain of the flight to Malaga from London Southend Airport in Essex said wind conditions meant the weight of the 156-passenger Airbus 319 made it dangerous to take off.

Crew members asked for volunteers while the aircraft sat on the tarmac for more than an hour last week - and ten people selected to leave were offered £250 compensation each.

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On the ground: The captain of the easyJet flight from London Southend Airport reportedly said wind conditions meant the weight of the 156-passenger Airbus 319 made it dangerous to take off (file picture)

One flyer told Nick Pisa in The Sun on Sunday: ‘The biggest mystery is the fact they asked exactly ten passengers to leave, but some were fat, some were thin, some had luggage and some didn't.

‘Quite a few people put their hands up and easyJet just selected a few at random. How can they be sure this brought the plane down to a safe weight? It's not very reassuring.’

An easyJet spokesman told MailOnline tonight: 'easyJet can confirm that some passengers on a recent flight from London Southend to Malaga were asked to take a later flight as weather conditions at Southend meant the aircraft would be too heavy to take off with all onboard.

'Like all airlines, we calculate weight using high average estimates for males and females, along with 20kg baggage. In line with EU rules, the passengers who did not travel on the flight were offered £250 compensation and a transfer on to an alternative flight to Malaga. 

Essex airport: Crew members reportedly asked for volunteers while the aircraft sat on the tarmac at Southend

'easyJet would like to apologise to the passengers for the delay to their journey.'

A similar incident occurred four years ago, when dozens of passengers were ordered off an easyJet plane and threatened with arrest by police if they refused - because it was too heavy to take off.

MailOnline reported how the flight from Birmingham to Geneva in December 2010 was over-filled with 10 tonnes too much fuel, so the captain asked the last 37 customers to get off the plane.

When some passengers refused to budge they were told three officers were waiting in the airport terminal and would arrest them if necessary. Easyjet later apologised to all passengers affected.

EasyJet is offering up to four three-hour flights a week from Southend to Malaga this winter, while there will be up to seven on offer next summer - with one-way prices from £23. 

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