A holiday flight was thrown into chaos after a violent storm forced it to abort its landing at Manchester Airport and perform a dramatic U-turn mid-air.
TUI flight TOM2473, travelling from Heraklion in Crete, was on its final approach to Manchester on Tuesday evening when pilots were forced to take drastic action. With severe winds and torrential rain lashing the runway, the Boeing 737 was compelled to pull up and divert to Birmingham Airport instead.
The sudden change in plans left hundreds of passengers stranded and confused, with many only discovering their unexpected destination once the plane had landed in the West Midlands. The aircraft was left on the tarmac at Birmingham for over two hours as TUI ground staff scrambled to organise coach transport for the weary travellers.
Passenger Frustration Mounts
Frustration mounted during the lengthy delay, with one passenger telling reporters: "We were all ready to land and then suddenly the plane just powered up and went around. The captain came on and said the weather in Manchester was too bad to land, so we're off to Birmingham."
The ordeal didn't end upon arrival in Birmingham. Passengers faced a lengthy wait onboard before eventually being transferred to coaches for a long and tedious road journey back to Manchester, arriving in the early hours of the morning.
Airport Operations Disrupted
The severe weather caused significant disruption across the UK's transport network. Manchester Airport confirmed that several flights were affected by the adverse conditions, which included lightning and gusting winds that made landings hazardous.
A spokesperson for TUI apologised for the disruption, stating: "We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused to customers on flight TOM2473 from Heraklion to Manchester, which diverted to Birmingham due to adverse weather conditions. The safety of our customers and crew is always our highest priority."
The incident highlights the widespread travel disruption caused by the unseasonal storm, which battered large parts of the country and left many holidaymakers facing lengthy delays and unexpected detours.
