Worst Passenger of the Week: “X Factor” Contestants Hit a Sour Note with British Airways Passengers

Every Friday, FlyerTalk looks back at the week’s most charming individuals. While there are always plenty of contenders for our Worst Passenger of the Week award, only one lucky flyer can take home the glory.

Third Place — Not-So-Wiseguys

For reasons we may never know, a pair of Australians seemed to think that making a terrorism joke at an airport wasn’t a terrible idea. While boarding their flight at Melbourne Airport (MEL), a Vietnam Airlines flight attendant heard Luckham J. Y. say, while pointing at his friend Puddy R.A., “Don’t let that guy board, he is a terrorist.”

The flight attendant informed the captain, crew and airport authorities of the incident. MEL authorities escorted the two men off the plane and conducted a security check of the aircraft. Australian Federal Police allowed the flight bound for Ho Chi Minh City to depart 25 minutes behind schedule after determining there was no threat onboard. The two Australians were detained for further questioning.

Second Place — Naked and Afraid

Shortly after the bars closed Saturday morning, during the wee hours when most drunks are staggering home, a 45-year-old British man ambled over to Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). The unnamed man, identified by the Hindustan Times as “Daniel,” reportedly got drunk at a restaurant inside DEL while waiting for a connecting flight to Tokyo.

According to police, Daniel broke a fire alarm box, causing the alarm to ring and emergency exit gates to open. Daniel then fled through one of the gates and into the aircraft parking area, where he proceeded to take his clothes off and dance. He reportedly also tried to get on another flight open for boarding before police apprehended him, but officials from the Central Industry Security Force (CISF) say he was apprehended before reaching the boarding area.

CISF described the incident as “a major breach of airport security,” and although British embassy officials were informed, no charges were filed. Daniel was allowed to board his flight to Tokyo after putting his clothes on and sobering up — hopefully in that order.

The Winner — Treble Makers

British Airways passengers on a flight from Cancun to Gatwick claim they were treated to an unwelcome performance by some of the stars of this season’s The X Factor U.K. Passengers allege that six of the boys, who were returning from a round of competition at team judge Mel B’s home in Mexico, were “knocking back drinks like they were going out of fashion.”

During their 6-day stay in Mexico, the six contestants had been banned from drinking. One passenger told The Sun that it was as if the boys “were on a mission as soon as they got on the plane” and were ordering “as many drinks as they could.”

Despite reports of complaints, a spokesman for the show told MailOnline Travel, “There was no bad behavior or fracas on the flight,” and denied that other passengers had made complaints. A spokesman for British Airways also denied reports of rambunctious behavior on the flight.

[Photo: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas / Foter / CC BY-ND]