Tui customers who had a nightmare journey home to Aberdeen from Tenerife say they had to endure a 10-hour wait in the airport.
During the delay, passengers were even taken onto their flight before being taken off again and sent to hotels on the other side of the island.
Three people, who were on the flight, said they were not told of any problems before they were taken to the airport on Sunday for 6pm.
But while they tried to check in baggage to the flight, they were moved to three different gates, before sitting on the plane for two hours.
‘Awful experience’
They were then told to get off the flight and pick up bags, before being asked to sit in a cafe area until 4am in the morning.
Passengers have described the experience as “awful”.
They claim no vouchers for food or drink were given to passengers on Sunday, and they were not provided with water.
In a statement, Tui said the flight was cancelled due to “weather conditions”.
One woman from Aberdeen said: “The pilot said, both on Sunday night and when the flight took off on Monday, that this was not due to bad weather it was that he was not given a flight plan and then they ran out of hours so couldn’t legally work.
Flights cancelled ‘due to bad weather’
“There were other flights cancelled due to bad weather but not ours.
“Initially we were delayed because the plane coming from Aberdeen had to refuel in Faro due to weight. The flight was initially due to depart at 8.10pm.
“We then we got boarded around 11pm but because of no flight plan and the running out of hours we were taken off the plane and had to collect our baggage and wait for further instructions from Tui but hotels had been sourced.
“This was about 12.30am. We had to wait at least two hours for baggage to come back, which when it did was soaking wet. This included other passengers who had kids buggies. They were soaked and broken which a Tui rep did help them with.
“No one from Tui spoke to us in that time about where we’re going so we had no clue what was happening.
“It would take a lot to fly again with Tui and that’s a shame as we love going to Tenerife.”
At 4am, passengers were ushered towards buses waiting outside the airport – but they were still not told where they were going.
Eventually a text arrived telling them they were going to a hotel some 90minutes away from the airport.
Passengers were compensated with a €12 voucher for refreshments when they got back to Tenerife Airport, but say apart from two texts they have not spoken to reps in Tenerife.
Another woman from Aberdeen said: “It was a total nightmare for elderly and those with kids. No food, no water and no one to provide information, we were told to check an app.
“Other flights were taking off and landing, and it was only Tui flights that were affected.
“Tui is a waste of time. The reps were avoiding us at all costs.”
A third passenger said: “It has just been awful. There were poor elderly and those with kids having to deal with it all.
“It was bad enough for us.”
‘Delayed not cancelled’
A spokeswoman for Tui said the flight was delayed not cancelled.
She said: “We fully appreciate the frustration of customers on flight TOM1719 which was unfortunately delayed overnight due to weather conditions caused by Storm Hermine.
“Our teams kept customers updated and worked as quickly as they could to source overnight accommodation and transport for all customers in Tenerife.
“Limited hotel availability meant this took slightly longer than usual.”
She continued: “We try our best to get customers to and from their holidays on time, but sometimes circumstances beyond our control don’t allow this and we know this is disappointing.
“We can confirm the flight departed on Monday September 26 at 4.05pm.”
Latest Tui delay this year
- In September, a diabetic man was refused a bottle of water after Tui left him “stranded” in Edinburgh without a way back to Aberdeen.
- In early August, an eight-year-old was forced to sleep in a suitcase in a Turkish airport after a flight was cancelled at the last minute.
- In late August, a pensioner took matters into his own hands and paid £400 for a taxi to Aberdeen after he was “dumped” in Edinburgh.
- This month, two Tui flights to Aberdeen Airport had their routes delayed or diverted.
- Also in September, a Tui flight from Tenerife to Aberdeen was delayed by 16 hours due to the flight’s crew needing rest.
- Tui cancels Dalaman to Aberdeen flight after ‘unruly’ passenger allegedly assaults pilot
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