AER Lingus is being sued by a passenger who alleges he suffered a seizure after being struck on the head by a piece of luggage

Three people were arrested in a security alert at Dublin airport this afternoon.

Passengers on an Aer Lingus flight were held on the plane for almost 50 minutes in the security alert.

Confusion arose when a passenger claimed he had the Ebola virus, it is understood.

Two female passengers, aged 51 and 23, and a male passenger, 56, were arrested by gardai.

A garda spokesperson said the three people were being dealt with under the Air Navigation and Transport Act at Ballymun Garda Station.

Shortly before 1pm today, gardaí were called to the scene at Dublin Airport.

It was reported that a passenger on board a filght from Milan to Dublin had shown a plastic cup to a flight attendant marked ‘’Attentione Ebola’’.

There were 142 passengers on board at the time.

The flight attendant notified the Captain who immediately contacted the Dublin Airport Authority.

The Airport Police placed a cordon at the aircraft which was parked at stand.

The H.S.E. were notified and the emergency protocols were invoked.

The aircraft remained on the apron for one hour while three of the passengers were medically examined.

Following consultation with the H.S.E. it was established there was no evidence of a health risk. At approximately 2.15pm the crew and passengers were permitted to disembark and the cordon removed.

In a statement, Aer Lingus confirmed: "A security issue arose on flight EI 433 (Milan to Dublin.) As a precaution passengers and crew were temporarily held on board the aircraft at Dublin airport while the matter was investigated."

"Passengers have now disembarked the aircraft. An Garda Siochana are now dealing with the matter."

"As this is a security matter, we have no further comment."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Dublin Airport Authority said: "Following a minor security incident on board an Aer Lingus flight from Milan to Dublin, passengers were held on board the aircraft after it landed at Dublin Airport just before 1pm today."

"As a precaution, the incident was fully investigated before passengers and crew disembarked as normal. The incident is now a matter for the gardai."

The 56-year-old man is expected to appear before the Courts of Criminal Justice, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8 at 10.30am tomorrow morning.

The two women arrested in connection with this incident were tonight released without charge.

Online Editors