EasyJet strongly denied claims that a pilot called for a show of hands from passengers to vote if a faulty aircraft should take off.
Some passengers had made the claim after being delayed in Malaga for two days.
They alleged that the pilot told them the chances of both engines working on the return flight to Bristol was “50/50” following a “technical issue”.
But the budget carrier denied the claims after reports emerged that the pilot apparently asked for a show of hands about whether they should take off, Gloucestershire Live reported.
Around 150 passengers were supposed to fly home from the Spanish resort on Thursday evening.
They finally boarded the aircraft early on Saturday afternoon, only for the pilot to tell them he was unable to start one of the engines.
A number of passengers claimed the pilot then came out of the cockpit while at the boarding gate at Malaga airport, explained the situation and asked for a show of hands on who wanted to make an attempt to fly back.
One witness, who saw passengers returning through Bristol’s airport, said: “It is possible there had been a misunderstanding among some of the passengers.
“It may simply have been that the pilot was asking them if they wanted to remain on the plane whilst they tried to sort the engine problems out.
“However it is was clear that the passengers were absolutely fed up having had already experienced a long delay in getting home.”
An easyJet spokesman said: “The pilot attempted to use one engine to start the other engine as is normal procedure.
“Because he was aware that the passengers had already been considerably delayed due to a technical problem the pilot asked the passengers if they would like to get off or remain on board whilst the engine start up sequence continued.
“It was then decided to fly the passengers back on a replacement aircraft. At no point did the pilot ask passengers, or would ever attempt, to fly the aircraft without both engines working correctly.”
At the time of the incident, the airline confirmed that passengers had been provided with meal vouchers and overnight accommodation as the flight had been delayed.
A spokesman added: “EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY9958 from Malaga to Bristol on 8 June has been delayed overnight due to a technical issue.
“Passengers have been provided with meal vouchers, hotel accommodation and regulated [sic] updates.
“Our engineering team worked hard to try and get passengers to get to their destination as soon as possible and originally planned for a departure on 10 June.”
Three Britons released without charge following aircraft diversion
Meanwhile, German authorities released without charge three British men detained late on Saturday after their conversations on an easyJet flight from Slovenia to London prompted the pilot to divert to Cologne.
Nine people reportedly received medical treatment after all 151 passengers were evacuated from the Airbus 319 using emergency slides.
The pilot diverted the flight from Ljubljana to land in Cologne after fellow passengers reported the men were discussing “terrorist matters” and carried a book entitled “Kill” with a sniper rifle on its cover, police and state prosecutors said in a statement. They said the alleged conversation could not be verified.
Bild newspaper in Germany reported passengers telling airline personnel they had heard the men using words including “bomb” and “explosive”, and said one carried a suspicious backpack.
A Cologne police spokesman said the men were aged 31, 38 and 48, and worked for a British company.
A German security source defended the action despite the failure to find any evidence, saying: “We have to take all potential threats seriously.”
The source said the fact that the aircraft was heading to London, scene of two terrorist attacks in recent weeks, had compounded authorities’ concerns.
The incident forced the diversion of 17 inbound flights, delays in 20 departing flights and cancellation of two flights, a spokeswoman for Cologne airport said, adding that air traffic had returned to normal after a three-hour interruption.
It was not immediately clear when the men, who were returning to London after a business trip, would travel onto London.
A local police spokesman said: “The criminal investigation against them has been halted. No evidence was found. “We now believe that there was never any real danger.”
The remaining passengers departed on another easyJet aircraft for the UK on Sunday.