Had similar situation recently - a small no. of pax wanting to get off aircraft after diversion. Fair & square...
So we used some of the time waiting for coaches to explain to the passengers that it was an "all in one go" operation. We told them that we could not stop them from leaving the aircraft once the coaches were there - but that for the sake of their fellow passengers, it would be advisable to remain on the aircraft until a fresh crew arrived to take them to their original destination where the wx had now improved.
Amazingly, the punters sorted it out amongst themselves (a 6 ft. 4 in bricklayer in the "stay on board"-camp did help
) - so despite a few who insisted to take it out on the cabin crew (there always seem to be a few
), the pax got to their destination with about 3 hours delay.
However, before the coaches arrived, a few threathends to walk off the aircraft. A few of the Greater Manchesters finest on stand-by saw to that not happening - a big thank you goes out to them. But that was the only part of the incident where we detained some of the passengers against their will - and quite legally so. So the period where you can legally detain passengers onboard the aircraf starts when the first door opens and ends when transportation arrives. Beyound that point, sounds like you're in a lot of trouble if you forcefully detain people on board. The immigration case is resolved at the IO desk - not at the doors.
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