Passengers detained for 90 minutes at airport

ANGER AT LONG WAIT AFTER DISEMBARKING FROM FLIGHT

HOLIDAYMAKERS returning from the Canary Islands have expressed anger at being held for 90 minutes on landing at East Midlands Airport.

The passengers on a Jet2 flight from Tenerife on Saturday evening said they were left on the tarmac in transit buses before passport control, with no explanation from airport authorities.

The airport said standard procedure was followed after a suspected medical incident.

One passenger said: “In essence, we left the aircraft at about 7pm and were loaded into the usual transit buses, but remained in there for about 30mins with no explanation as to why.

“We were then told that for public health reasons, we were not being allowed to leave and instead were taken to a large hangar/hall at the far end of the airport. Many people were getting very irate and it became very volatile so the police were called to calm things down.”

Another half-an-hour went by before the frustrated travellers were finally loaded back on to the buses and taken to passport control, still without explanation. The customer said: “After a further 30 mins, we were loaded back on to the buses and finally allowed to pass through passport control.

“There was little information given as to why we had been detained but we finally left the airport almost 90 minutes after leaving the plane. And was raining.

“I felt sorry for the junior staff trying to manage an increasingly volatile situation but the way it was handled by the airport and Jet2 left a lot to be desired.”

A spokesman for the airport said: “Following a suspected health incident on board an inbound passenger it aircraft at the weekend, a welfare reception centre was set up to hold passengers in accordance with Public Health England requirements. “Following a doctor’s assessment, passengers were given the all clear to proceed with their onward journey.”

East Midlands Airport passenger

There was little information given as to why we had been detained