A 'drunk' passenger who single-handedly brought a busy airport to a standstill at a cost of nearly £200,000 during a five-hour face-off with police faces up to ten years behind bars.
Jack Reall was denied boarding on a flight with his family from Manchester Airport to Montego Bay in Jamaica in May after check-in staff noticed he had wet himself.
Despite being offered a later flight, the ranting 48-year-old climbed onto a 40ft ledge above the airport's Terminal 2 and began live-streaming a furious protest against the decision.
As a police negotiator tried to talk him down, drop-off and pick-up forecourts had to be closed, bringing roads to a standstill and forcing hundreds of holidaymakers to abandon cars and taxis and walk to the departure hall.
Tattooed Reall told social media followers he was putting the terminal on gridlock 'out of principle' and that he didn't 'give a f***' that he was going to be arrested.
The disruption – which left passengers complaining of 'chaos' – cost the airport £188,500, the biggest loss it had ever suffered due to the actions of any single individual, a court heard today.
Yet Reall appeared 'pleased with himself' and was 'celebrating' the motorway grinding to a halt.
Appearing before magistrates today, he pleaded guilty to recklessly causing a public nuisance as well as using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
Jack Reall, 48, caused mayhem at Manchester Airport on May 27 after climbing onto a 40ft ledge and livestreaming his protest against being denied boarding for having 'peed himself'
Real arriving at court today where he pleaded guilty to recklessly causing a public nuisance as well as using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour
He was bailed to be sentenced by a judge next month when he faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment.
Reall, who runs his own masonry business in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was booked on the 11am Tui flight on May 27, 2026, magistrates in Stockport heard today.
But before checking in he was refused entry to toilets as they were being cleaned and 'urinated on himself', prosecutor Alexandra Mack said.
'He returned to the Tui check-in desk and was refused entry to the flight because they believed the defendant was intoxicated.
'He said he was going to go home and kill himself and it would be on the staff member.'
Police were called and it was agreed that his family would catch the flight as planned and he would travel on the next one to their destination, she said.
But shortly afterwards he climbed over the barrier of a bridge and began 'shouting demands', the court heard.
During an 11-minute video, which was not played in court today, he ranted: 'My reason was because I peed myself.
Real (pictured on holiday in Tenerife) seemed 'pleased' with the disruption he had caused, a court heard
Chaos as Manchester Airport was brought to a standstill for five hours on May 27, 2026 as a result of Jack Reall's protest
'Literally, I got a taxi, went to the toilet and peed myself so they didn't let me on the plane...
'So basically now I've got Terminal 2 on gridlock and I've done it out of principle.'
As he paced across the outer ridge, he could be heard telling police negotiators: 'It's three o'clock, I've been on here since I got here and now they reckon they are going to give my money back for my flight.
'I'm going to get arrested but I don't give a f***. It's the principle.'
Images showed massive traffic congestion spilling onto the nearby M56 motorway, with holidaymakers hauling their luggage out of taxis before heading to the airport on foot along the hard shoulder.
Travellers took to social media to voice their frustration, with one person writing: 'Passengers are having to ditch taxis in a bid to make their flights.'
Another complained: 'Why has this taken so long. Absolute shambles. Chaos outside the airport. No direction.'
Reall told police he was unhappy with Tui for not letting him fly, Ms Mack told today's hearing.
Reall (pictured) will be sentenced by a judge next month when he faces up to ten years in jail
The negotiator described him as 'extremely difficult to engage with' and 'unwilling to listen', she added.
At one point he 'lunged towards the negotiator but fortunately the negotiator stepped back'.
During his rant, Reall called the officer a 'pr**k, a***hole, stupid c***', told him 'I will f****** kill you if you don't get me what I want'.
He also threatened: 'You will cause me to kill myself you f****** pr**k'.
But officers concluded that he was 'not in crisis', the prosecutor said.
'He was seen recording the incident and posting it on social media and laughing. He appeared pleased with himself.'
Despite his demand for the return of all his bags being agreed to, Reall still refused to co-operate.
Ms Mack said: 'The defendant wanted to cause as much damage as possible to the airport.
'The negotiator told him the most damage was to innocent members of the public who wanted to travel abroad.
'The defendant appeared pleased by the situation.
'He was celebrating that the motorway was brought to a standstill and flights were getting delayed.'
Reall 'did not appear genuinely interested in reaching a resolution' and swore at officers throughout, the prosecutor added.
He demanded a full refund which he was given at 3.30pm, after which he was arrested.
The court heard his antics caused 'severe' disruption over a five-hour period with 'significant knock-on effects' to airlines and passengers.
The £188,500 bill was 'the most significant cost and loss to be caused by one single individual', Ms Mack added.
Interviewed by police, Reall said he had wanted to make a point about the way he was being treated and showed no remorse, the court heard.
At the time of the incident, Manchester Airport urged passengers to 'allow plenty of time for their journey'.
In a statement they added: 'We are grateful to our passengers for their understanding and patience this afternoon.'
Saying their powers were insufficient, magistrates today sent the case to Manchester Crown Court where Reall will be sentenced next month.
He was given bail with a condition that he does not go to Manchester Airport.
Source link
