Holidaymakers returning to Manchester faced a distressing ordeal at Lanzarote airport, forced to sleep on cold terminal floors and suitcases after their flight was cancelled due to adverse weather.
A Nightmarish Delay for Manchester-Bound Travellers
The trouble began on Saturday evening when the 8.15pm Jet2 service from Lanzarote to Manchester was cancelled. While some passengers were fortunate enough to be allocated hotel rooms, many others, including families with young children, were left to fend for themselves inside the airport terminal. The situation escalated into a 16-hour delay, with the replacement flight not departing until around noon on Sunday.
Carl Bickerton, 62, from Stockport, was travelling with his wife and 16-year-old son after a week's holiday. He described a "bizarre" sequence of events to the Manchester Evening News. Passengers had initially boarded the aircraft on Saturday night, only to remain seated for approximately four hours before being disembarked and sent back to the terminal building just before midnight.
Chaos and Confusion as Airport Closed
"We had no indication of what was going on. We kept being told we were waiting for clearance," Mr Bickerton explained. In a surreal attempt to maintain morale, the captain reportedly invited children to visit the cockpit and make announcements over the tannoy system.
The real difficulties began once back in the terminal. César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport closed at midnight, leaving stranded passengers with limited options. Jet2 representatives attempted to secure hotel accommodation, but with few rooms available on the island, many were unsuccessful. "It became a bit chaotic and tempers were getting high," Mr Bickerton recalled.
He detailed the grim reality for those left behind: "I slept on the floor. My lad slept on the cases. The majority of people slept on chairs or the floor." He added that some passengers required medication and others were in tears due to the stressful conditions.
Limited Assistance and Eventual Departure
Passengers were provided with 20 Euro vouchers for food and drink, but with the airport facilities largely shut, their utility was limited. In the early hours of Sunday morning, those still at the airport were given complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits.
At 6am on Sunday, the remaining group was informed they would finally board a flight home at noon. Mr Bickerton noted that the passengers who had been placed in hotels were not seen again and were reportedly scheduled to travel on Monday instead.
While Mr Bickerton stated that Jet2 had been "pretty sound" in response to his complaint, the incident highlights the stark disparity in treatment passengers can face during major disruptions. A spokesperson for César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport stated: "Due to adverse weather conditions yesterday, some flights were diverted and/or cancelled. Passenger assistance is the responsibility of the airlines. The airport collaborates with them to support the operations."
MirrorOnline has contacted Jet2 for further comment on the handling of the incident.
