A MAN was chased down and stopped by police on the runway at Dublin airport as he was running after a departing Ryanair plane.
The incident happened early this morning when a man who appeared to be in his 30's arrived at the departure gate for an Amsterdam bound Ryanair flight but was told by staff that the gate was closed.
He reportedly began banging on the window inside the terminal and pleaded with ground crew to hold the plane for him.
The man was accompanied by a woman.
He managed to break through a door and emerged on the runway where he ran after the taxiing plane, shouting at the pilot to stop.
He made it to the taxiing Ryanair aircraft before police pinned him to the ground.
He was arrested and brought to the airport police station.
A ground crew member said the man "just ran from the building towards the plane," which was departing for Amsterdam.
Two police cars and a police van dealt with the incident.
The plane took off following a 20 minute delay.
In a statement, an airport spokesman said: "A male and female passenger were late for a Ryanair flight to Amsterdam this morning and arrived at the boarding gate after the flight had closed.
"They were engaging with Ryanair staff at the gate and the male passenger was becoming agitated.
"He was banging on the window to try and get the aircraft to wait and he then broke through a door and made his way onto the apron, trying to flag the aircraft down.
"He was was initially restrained by Ryanair staff on the apron and airport police, who had already been contacted, arrived on the scene almost immediately and arrested him.
"He was taken to the Airport Police Station and will be handed over to the Gardai (Irish police)."
