Over 200 easyJet passengers faced a frustrating ordeal at Marrakesh Menara Airport after a technical issue forced the cancellation of their flight to Manchester Airport, leaving them stranded in Morocco for an extra night.
Passengers left waiting for hours
The travellers were scheduled to fly back to Manchester on Wednesday, June 10, but a malfunction grounded the plane. Adam Ramouz, a 35-year-old from Salford, described watching the aircraft being towed away as he waited to board. The flight had already been delayed by two hours, arriving at 12:40 pm instead of the scheduled 10:40 am departure. After passengers from Manchester disembarked, Adam and his fellow travellers were held for another two hours before the plane was removed.
Despite the long wait, passengers did not receive an email about the cancellation until late afternoon, nearly ten hours after the original departure time. Adam expressed disappointment over the lack of communication, noting that there were few airport staff to provide updates.
Confusion and frustration
Passengers were placed in temporary accommodation, but the system caused confusion. Some families were left without rooms, anxious to return to their responsibilities. Adam, who was on a three-day trip with his partner, highlighted the impact: "Everybody has got their lives to get back to. I've got work tomorrow, my partner's got work tomorrow. I'm a full-time carer for my mother. We've had to call on family to look after my mother. There's something like 235 people who are stuck here."
He added that over 200 people were trying to get information from a single easyJet representative after receiving the cancellation email.
EasyJet's response
An easyJet spokesperson confirmed that the flight, EZY2294 from Marrakech to Manchester, was rescheduled to operate on Thursday, June 11, due to a technical issue on the aircraft's previous flight. The delay impacted crew safety hours, leading to the cancellation. The airline stated: "We are doing everything possible to minimise the disruption, including providing hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them. The safety and wellbeing of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines."
The airline apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their understanding.
