British holidaymakers stranded in Tenerife for three days due to a sandstorm have finally returned to the UK, but many are still without their luggage. The Jet2 flight, originally scheduled for Sunday, was diverted to Malaga on Tuesday before eventually landing at East Midlands Airport at 23:53 GMT on Wednesday.
Passengers expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the airline. Mick Elliot from Aylestone, Leicester, said he felt 'left in limbo' and criticised Jet2 for prioritising other flights. 'We should have got home on Sunday but arrived on Wednesday. Between that time, normal scheduled flights to East Midlands were on time,' he said.
Another passenger, Lee Wain from Mansfield, described the communication as 'extremely frustrating'. 'We still have no idea where our luggage is or when we will get it back,' he said. The 45-year-old was travelling with his wife and son, and noted the discomfort of being stuck in the same clothes for days.
Jet2 attributed the delays to the sandstorm causing a backlog of flights and baggage processing issues. The airline stated that crew members had insufficient operating hours to fly directly to the UK due to CAA Flight Time Regulations, necessitating a stop in Malaga for accommodation. Jet2 said it is 'making sure that all baggage is flown back to the UK as a matter of priority'.
