A couple have told of their ‘horrendous’ mission to get home from Malta – after snow fell at Manchester Airport.
Their story echoes the experiences being endured by thousands of holidaymakers hit by delays and cancellations after three days of runway closures at the airport – with the Manchester Evening News receiving accounts from many stricken passengers. Richard and Susan Dandy, who only went away for a four-night break, were supposed to fly home from the Mediterranean island at 6.30pm on Monday.
But their easyJet flight to Manchester Airport – EZY2274 – was delayed for more than four hours at Malta, then diverted to London Gatwick on approach to Manchester, landing in the capital at just before 1.30am on Tuesday. Writing on its website, easyJet apologised and blamed the diversion on ‘heavy snowfall’ at Manchester Airport.
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The airline said it had ‘arranged onward transport’ for the stranded passengers, telling them: “Please do not try to arrange your own transport at this time.” But Mrs Dandy said initially, that promise ‘turned out to be false’.
The 55 year-old and her husband, from Harwood in Bolton, have blasted easyJet for its customer service and claimed they and others were told to organise their own journeys home.
Manchester Airport on Tuesday morning -Credit:Paul Hollywood
They ended up having two hours sleep in a hotel at Gatwick before a scheduled taxi back to Manchester Airport at 1pm on Tuesday.
She said she doesn’t believe they will get back to Manchester until at least 6pm, with another hours back to Bolton meaning a near 27-hour round trip. The Malta to Manchester flight time is just over three hours and 30 minutes.
Mrs Dandy said she completely understood the snow delay and the adverse weather conditions. But she hit out at ‘appalling’ easyJet’s service after the plane finally landed at Gatwick.
“As we were on the plane making our descent to Manchester, we were told we’d been diverted to Gatwick, she said.
“We totally get it about the weather. We landed about 1.30am and were told by the pilot that coaches were being put on to take us all to Manchester Airport. This turned out to be false.
Gatwick Airport at 4am -Credit:UGC/MEN
“After collecting our baggage we were corralled into an area where people would be checking in for flights shortly. We waited over an hour to be told they were trying to get us all taxis, but they were prioritising families, those with special needs, the elderly and those with health issues and that we’d be better making our own way home.
“I booked an Uber, left the terminal to go to the pick-up point only for the driver to ring and cancel my ride because it was too far.
“He said he would need a break and also needed to charge his car. We went back into the airport but easyJet staff were still trying to get us to make our own way home by a train, that had three changes, or National Express or a taxi, if we could get one.
“After being stood in the terminal for over five hours, they did not offer us any food or water. Their suggestion was to stay over. We eventually got into the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick at 6am.”
Mrs Dandy said they managed to get two hours sleep before queuing up with their luggage together with others in the cold outside waiting for their taxis, which she said were being paid for by easyJet. Both have had to take time off work.
“easyJet have been appalling and it’s been horrendous,” she said.
“They promise one thing then say another. All they wanted us to do was for us to find our own way home.”
A spokesperson for easyJet said: “Following the temporary closure of Manchester Airport’s runway yesterday evening, flight EZY2274 from Malta to Manchester was required to divert to London Gatwick.
“We did all we could to minimise the impact of the airport closure and arranged onward coach transfers from Gatwick to Manchester. However, due to limited coach availability we provided hotel accommodation for some customers and arranged taxis for them today. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this was outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused.”