Tui passengers heading from Cardiff to Zante were left devastated after their plane was forced to turn back mid-flight because the Greek airport was closed.
The journey was already off to a poor start when the flight to the popular party island was delayed by five hours.
After finally leaving the tarmac, passengers were dismayed to hear mid-flight that they would have to turn around and fly back to Wales, as Zakynthos International Airport “wasn’t operating”.
Holidaymakers were “appalled” that the pilot continued with take-off despite being aware of the night curfew, which resulted in them disembarking the plane more than 2,000 miles away from their intended destination.
Zakynthos International Airport states on its website that “planes are not permitted to land or depart during the night”.
One man, whose wife was on the flight, said that passengers were in tears and were “totally disgusted” by the incident.
Speaking to Wales Online, he said: “My wife is very, very upset. Her friend had to answer the phone because she was so upset by it all. TUI should be responsible for what they are doing. They should know – I know – that Zante does not let planes land at night time. It’s a standard procedure because it’s a small island.”
He continued: “A lot of things like this just get swept under the carpet and it’s just wrong. It’s our hard-earned money. I’m now looking at flights for them from Bristol tomorrow (Saturday) which will cost another £300 plus, but apart from that it’s a day and a half gone from their holiday.
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Passengers were taken back to Cardiff Airport, over 2,000 miles away from their destination
Wikimedia Commons
“I feel sorry for the other passengers too. Having spoken to my wife’s friend, people were crying on the plane and were totally disgusted by what was happening.”
A group of sixth-formers who were also on the plane were left disappointed after their end-of-year holiday was cancelled due to the issue.
Georgia Rees, 18, who was working extra hours through stressful exams to save up for the holiday, told the BBC that there was a “complete lack of communication from TUI”. She added: “They gave us no alternative and it was absolutely appalling.”
“We were told that a crew member left due to ‘personal reasons’, and we had to wait for a replacement which meant we would land at Zante past 10.
The plane never reached its destination of Zante, a popular Greek party island
Wikimedia Commons
“Despite the pilot’s knowledge, he continued to take off,” she said.
The 18-year-old said that upon their return to Wales, staff were unable to confirm a definite refund or compensation, and said they showed “very little compassion”.
In response to the incident, Cardiff Airport CEO Spencer Birns said: “Unfortunately, there has been a global IT issue affecting major services, resulting in some flight delays at Cardiff Wales Airport today.
“It is disappointing that the Zante flight experienced a long delay and we can confirm that the flight departed, but sadly returned back to Cardiff this evening.”
GB News has approached Tui for comment.