Terrified tourists boycott Thomas Cook flight home after being told to sit at back 'to help balance the jet'

"When holidaymakers were asked to sit at the back of the plane to balance heavy luggage in the front of the hold, many thought it was a bad joke. But it was a serious request. One of the doors to the hold was jammed, meaning bags could be loaded only at one end, making the plane nose-heavy. However, the call for passengers to act as human ballast towards the tail provoked panic, and 71 refused to board."