‘Mutiny’ on the Tarmac: Passengers Revolt After Four-Hour EasyJet Delay
Chaos erupted onboard an easyJet flight at London Gatwick Airport this week, as frustrated passengers staged what one traveller described as a ‘mutiny’ after being confined to the aircraft for over four hours during a blistering heatwave.
The incident occurred on Monday, 11 July, aboard flight EZY6427, which was scheduled to depart for Dubrovnik at 1.40pm. Passenger Dominey Jenner detailed the ordeal to The Independent, revealing that the delay stretched for nearly seven hours from the original departure time.
From Delay to Desperation Onboard
After initially being told of a technical issue and asked to return to the main lounge, passengers were eventually boarded at around 4pm. However, the aircraft then remained stationary on the tarmac until 8.30pm.
During this extensive delay, temperatures outside soared to between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius, creating sweltering conditions inside the cabin. Ms Jenner accused the airline of providing customers with just one glass of water and no food, despite supplies being available onboard. "There was food onboard but apparently they weren’t allowed to open the trolleys," she stated.
Updates from the crew were described as infrequent and unhelpful, leaving passengers hot, dehydrated, and increasingly furious. "Various passengers, including myself, told the crew that a decision needed to be made," Ms Jenner explained.
Passenger Revolt Leads to Police Involvement
The unrest reached a tipping point as travellers took matters into their own hands. Some passengers began phoning the police at Gatwick Airport. "I heard later that Gatwick police were about to come and escort us off," Ms Jenner said.
Shortly before 8pm, she posted a video of the restless cabin on Twitter to alert easyJet's management. The situation was only resolved when the flight was ultimately cancelled and buses arrived to return passengers to the terminal. To add to the frustration, their luggage did not arrive until around midnight.
Abandoning hope of an easyJet rebooking, the Jenner family travelled to Heathrow the next day and secured flights to Dubrovnik with British Airways, arriving a full 24 hours late for their holiday.
An EasyJet spokesperson apologised for the cancellation, citing a technical issue and subsequent coaching delays due to staff sickness. They confirmed customers were notified of their rebooking and refund options.
