EasyJet is “urgently” seeking answers after a worker at Nice airport apparently punched one of the airline’s passengers who was holding his baby at the terminal after a 13-hour delay.

A photo circulating online appears to show the man, believed to be a special assistance provider at the airport in south-east France, attacking the man in front of other passengers on Saturday.

A fellow passenger said the man was struck after families had been held up because of delayed flight EZY2122 from Nice to Luton, with little access to information or space to sit down.

Arabella Arkwright, who took the photograph, said the man was holding his baby while his wife vented their frustration to airport staff about the lack of baby food and seats.



“The man with the baby ... went over and talked to the Frenchman and the Frenchman didn’t reply, he just smiled and smirked and then whacked this guy on the left side of his face,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

She said her 64-year-old husband pulled the man off the apparent victim and “frogmarched” him away before police were called. Both men were taken away, but passengers demanded the man with the baby was allowed to board his flight. “When he arrived on the plane, all the plane clapped him,” said Arkwright.

An easyJet spokesman said the person in the photograph is believed to work for Nice airport’s special assistance provider Samsic, which is contracted to provide workers to help to disabled passengers, including those using wheelchairs.

In a statement the airline said: “EasyJet is very concerned to see this picture and can confirm the person in the photo is not an easyJet member of staff and does not work for easyJet’s ground handling agents in Nice.

“We are urgently taking this up with Nice airport and their special assistance provider Samsic, who we understand the person photographed works for.”

The airline apologised for the delay to the flight because of a “technical issue with the aircraft”. Arkwright said passengers were not told what was wrong with the aircraft or how long the delay would be, but easyJet said passengers were provided with updates and refreshment vouchers.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority,” it said. “EasyJet sincerely apologises for the delay and thanks passengers for their patience.”