Bodrum plane delayed after dispute over public display of affection

BODRUM

A plane heading to the Aegean resort of Bodrum from Istanbul was delayed on Nov. 11 after a dispute erupted when a man kissed his wife. 

The incident occurred at the Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul in the early hours of Nov. 11.

A man, identified only as Hamit C., and his family reacted to Mehmet Tulunay when he kissed his wife on the cheek.

“You cannot kiss the woman here, we are on a plane. You cannot act like this in public,” Hamit C. said while the plane was moving on the runway for departure.

Mehmet Tulunay, the general manager of a luxurious hotel in Bodrum, and his wife were reportedly returning to Bodrum after their honeymoon in the U.S. and Cuba.

But the dispute grew when other passengers got involved and reacted to Hamit C. and his family.

The pilot of the plane decided to go back to the parking area and informed the police over the dispute.

The couple and Hamit C. were forced to disembark from the plane before being taken to the police headquarters in Istanbul.

The plane departed after a one-hour delay. 

The parties did not file complaints against each other, both sides saying that the incident was caused by a misunderstanding.

Following the incident, Tulunay said the man apologized for his behavior.

“The man begged to apologize after he saw the police coming to the plane and when the other passengers reacted; he started to change his tone. We are in Istanbul now. We are going back to Bodrum tonight. I have been in the tourism industry for 20 years, and neither my wife nor I have witnessed such an incident. There were tourists on board, too. These people damage the image of our country,” Tulunay said.