Passengers on an easyJet flight from Gibraltar to Manchester have faced a delay of more than four hours after two aircraft clipped wings on the runway at Manchester Airport. The incident occurred early on Friday, with flights bound for Gibraltar and Paris involved. Passengers were forced to disembark as a safety precaution.
Harriet Morphy-Morris, 27, was due to fly back to Manchester but instead spent hours waiting at Gibraltar Airport. She expressed frustration at being given only a £3 food and drink voucher by the airline, which she said was enough for a coffee but not a proper meal. Her partner bought a Coke, and she noted that a family of four could not even buy a bottle of water with the voucher.
Harriet described the lack of communication from easyJet as frustrating, with updates only appearing on the app. The airport has limited facilities, with only one café. Around 80 passengers were waiting at the gate, including seven families with young children. The scheduled 10:55am flight was eventually delayed until 3:15pm.
An easyJet spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience, stating that a replacement aircraft was arranged and refreshment vouchers were provided. The airline emphasised that safety is its highest priority. The collision caused debris to be cleared from the runway, with one image showing a worker holding part of a wing.
