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Over 100 passengers were stranded when a pilot declined to fly due to a foul-smelling plane.
On Wednesday evening, passengers aboard the Easyjet flight from Birmingham to Geneva were instructed to disembark the plane after boarding. This was due to the pilot’s detection of an unknown and odd odor coming from the back of the cabin.
The pilot on Birmingham Airport’s tarmac unofficially “cancelled” the flight, which was scheduled to depart in a few minutes.
Travelers, including those with infants and toddlers, were stranded for a maximum of five hours before being informed that they would be taken to a hotel.
The unidentifiable odor, described by the pilot as “chemical,” was first examined by the ground crew.
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The pilot was the sole crew member who reported detecting a peculiar scent, and as a safety measure, chose to cancel the flight.
At 7:40pm, the pilot announced over the loudspeaker that the flight would not be departing tonight and instructed all 106 passengers to return to the terminal for further instructions.
Travelers reported that Easyjet staff and crew left after the flight was cancelled, leaving a third party company, Swissport, to handle the needs of the passengers.
The kids, tired from waiting for news about the cancelled EasyJet flight, fell asleep at a breakfast restaurant.
A traveler inquired about getting food for their children and was advised to wait outside for twenty minutes until there is an update.
It was 8 o’clock in the evening.
According to them, we waited for an hour but did not receive any updates. Eventually, the flight disappeared from the departure information screen at Birmingham airport.
I didn’t find out about the flight being cancelled until I asked a fellow passenger who was leaving the seating area. He informed me that it had been officially cancelled.
The situation worsened for passengers when they faced challenges in providing evidence of their flight booking, as the Easyjet app automatically removed their boarding passes when the flight was cancelled. Additionally, they were initially not allowed to retrieve their own luggage.
The other travelers were unaware that they had been rescheduled for the flight the next morning.
The passenger added, “My children will only have four to five hours of sleep at the beginning of our vacation because there hasn’t been anyone to assist them.”
One employee at the airport expressed their frustration, stating: “I would be extremely angry if I were in this situation.”
57-year-old Kristin Beattie, who lives in Loughborough, had to unexpectedly reserve a hotel in Geneva for her husband. He had driven 110 miles from their French ski trip to pick her up, but she was unable to make the trip.
She mentioned that she was being picked up in Geneva by someone who would be driving from Orelle. Therefore, she had to make a hotel reservation for him in Geneva.
“I was just here until Sunday, so we’ve already lost a full day of our vacation.”
“It was after 9pm, but the information board still displayed ‘We will provide an update at 8:30pm’.”
While on the airplane, the crew promptly informed us of the delay and explained that we would not be departing anytime soon. Even at ten fifteen, we were still stranded at the check-in counters in the departure area.
“We’ve been waiting here idly. I had considered booking a hotel hours ago, but there’s no guarantee they will reimburse you.”
A different group heading to the La Clusaz ski resort reported that their airport transfer deemed them a “no show” because they were unable to go, resulting in them having to find another mode of transportation.
Nervous travelers wait in line at Birmingham Airport at 11pm.
They were informed that the taxi company in France warned them that it would be a costly night for travelers due to numerous cancellations.
“Others were billed for lodging in Geneva that they were unable to use because they were not present.”
The Civil Aviation Authority states that airlines are required by law to offer food, water, and lodging to passengers in the event of a flight delay.
Passengers whose flight is cancelled can claim compensation of up to £220 per passenger for short-haul, and £520 per person for long haul if their flight arrives more than two hours after its initial arrival time.
A Swissport employee, who preferred not to disclose their name, acknowledged that the flight had been cancelled at approximately 7:30pm. However, they were unable to take any action for nearly four hours because they needed to wait for email confirmation before reserving hotel accommodations.
They confessed that they received identical information as the passengers through the Easyjet app.
“Easyjet is not currently present at the airport and there are no representatives available. All passenger-related matters are handled directly by Easyjet, so any issues should be addressed with them.”
Easyjet has been reached out to for a response.
Source: independent.co.uk
