A young family's holiday was left in tatters this week when their Wizz Air flight to Egypt was cancelled moments after they had settled into their seats on the plane.
A Birthday Celebration Grounded
Katie Chandler documented the distressing moment for her family, sharing footage from the aircraft after an announcement informed all passengers that their journey from London Luton Airport to Sharm El Sheikh on November 19 was no longer going ahead. The clip she posted began with the captain's voice: "We're going to reschedule the flight to tomorrow, apologies," a statement that was met with audible groans from fellow travellers.
The explanation given was that a snowstorm had caused significant disruption, creating a backlog of delayed departures. The captain stated that their flight was "11th in a queue" and there was insufficient time to complete the journey. "The whole airport is a mess right now with cancellations from both sides," the announcement continued, asking passengers to remain seated.
Expressing her heartbreak, Katie revealed this trip was a combined birthday present for her partner, Ryan, and a celebration of their seven-year anniversary. "Our holiday got cancelled while we were on the plane," she said. She expressed particular frustration with the cited reason, claiming, "the snow melted after two minutes."
Safety Concerns vs. Perceived Inconsistency
In response to her video, hundreds of TikTok users were quick to defend the airline's decision, emphasising that passenger safety must be the paramount concern. One user commented, "You’d soon be complaining if they had have taken off and something went wrong," while another pointed out, "Any amount of ice on the wings can cause a crash and it has done in the past."
This prompted Katie to post a follow-up video where she clarified her position. "I 100 per cent understand comments about safety," she stated, but questioned the inconsistency she observed. From her window, she could see other aircraft, including Wizz Air flights, taking off. "Surely every single flight from Luton should have been cancelled... not just ours," she argued.
Her frustration was compounded when she and a fellow passenger discovered that another flight from Luton to Cairo, Egypt, appeared to have departed. "So why did that one go to Cairo when the conditions were awful, but ours didn't?" she questioned, sharing footage of her family disembarking and boarding a bus back to the terminal.
The Compensation Question
Katie then suggested an alternative reason for the cancellation, speculating it was actually a staffing issue. She claimed the crew would have exceeded their legally permitted working hours due to the initial delay, and the airline could not secure a replacement team. She alleged that blaming weather conditions, which are considered an "extraordinary circumstance," would mean Wizz Air would not have to pay compensation to affected passengers.
However, a Wizz Air spokesperson provided a formal statement confirming the disruption. They cited "weather issues, which are outside of our control" as the initial cause of the delay. This delay, they explained, subsequently led to the crew reaching their safety-regulated operating limits, forcing the rescheduling of the flight to the following morning. The airline reiterated that "the safety and security of our customers and crew are our top priority" and thanked affected customers for their understanding.
