A British family's eagerly anticipated summer getaway descended into chaos after an astonishing EasyJet ground crew error saw them flown to the wrong country entirely.
The Andrews family, from Surrey, had booked a holiday to the picturesque Croatian coastal town of Pula. Instead, they found themselves stranded over 350 miles away in Ljubljana, Slovenia, after what they describe as an "unforgivable" mix-up at Gatwick Airport.
A Catalogue of Errors
The ordeal began when ground staff at Gatwick allegedly issued the family with boarding passes for the wrong flight. Despite the destination clearly stating Ljubljana, the family claims they were verbally assured they were boarding the correct aircraft for Pula.
"It was only when the pilot announced our descent into Ljubljana that the penny dropped," said father-of-two, Mark Andrews. "We were horrified. The cabin crew were as shocked as we were."
Upon landing, the family faced a frantic 24-hour overland journey across two countries to reach their intended destination, costing them hundreds of pounds in taxis, buses, and a night's accommodation.
EasyJet's Response
An EasyJet spokesperson acknowledged the "regrettable incident," stating: "We are urgently investigating how this boarding error occurred. The safety and well-being of our passengers is our highest priority."
The airline has since offered the family a full refund for their original flights and a £250 gesture of goodwill. However, the Andrews family says this doesn't cover the full extent of their unexpected expenses or the significant disruption to their holiday.
Passenger Rights Expert Weighs In
Travel consumer rights advocates have called the incident "deeply concerning." Under UK261 regulations, passengers may be entitled to significant compensation for such major operational errors, beyond a simple ticket refund.
This case highlights the importance for travellers to double-check their boarding passes and gate information independently, regardless of verbal assurances from staff.
