Holidaymakers face 45-hour flight delay
FURIOUS families endured a whopping 45-HOUR delay in Manchester after two of their flights were cancelled.
Passengers on flight TOM2174 were due to leave for Bulgaria at 6.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday.
It is understood around 300 people were due to travel to the city of Bourgas.
Passengers said they were told there were ‘crew issues’, and that there was no pilot available to fly the Dreamliner plane.
They said the flight was then rescheduled to leave six hours and 20 minutes later, at 12.50am on Tuesday.
Passengers said they were later told there was a ‘technical problem’ with the plane and that there would be a further delay.
Those who needed accommodation were then put up at various hotels in Manchester and neighbouring Trafford.
Holidaymakers finally left at Manchester at 2.30pm on Wednesday – nearly 45 hours after they were due to set off.
The M.E.N. spoke to a number of families stuck at hotels, including the Raddison Blu at the airport.
Julie Griffin, 34, from Winsford in Cheshire, said her children Sebastian, six, and Dominic, eight, have had to sleep on the floor of a hotel room.
She said families were sent to a ‘meeting room’ to be fed, with ‘dry’ chicken curry and rice and pizza on offer.
A TUI spokesman said: “We would like to apologise to customers on the delayed flight TOM2174 from Manchester to Bourgas, Bulgaria.
“The flight was originally delayed due to short notice changes to our flying programme and then further impacted due to a technical issue with the aircraft.
“Customers have been provided with full board hotel accommodation.
“We have been in direct contact with our customers to offer a gesture of goodwill or help find another holiday.
“We understand how frustrating a flight delay can be and would like to thank them for their patience.”