Receive the Morning Headlines email at no cost to stay informed about the latest news from our reporters spanning the globe.
Join our complimentary email newsletter, Morning Headlines.
Scared travelers on an easyJet flight were stuck in Birmingham when their plane from Lyon had to suddenly change course due to Storm Isha.
Yesterday at 4pm local time, Aine Morris, who is 39 years old, was on a trip from Berlin to Bristol with a layover in Lyon.
Ms. Morris, an experienced traveler, was aware of the approaching Storm Isha but assumed she would avoid any inconvenience since the weather warning was issued shortly after her scheduled arrival time of 6pm in Bristol.
According to the founder of Wilden Herbals tea company, the passengers on the flight experienced severe turbulence, likened to being tossed around in a washing machine, as the pilot navigated through it.
The pilot tried to land in Bristol, but at the last minute, they realized it was too risky. Instead, they redirected the plane to Birmingham Airport, where the passengers were stuck for 4.5 hours.
She reported, “We were tossed around in the air like a washing machine. People were becoming agitated and one woman at the rear of the aircraft was violently ill.”
“We were tossed back and forth by strong winds and the pilot struggled to maintain control. When we were only 10 feet above the ground, he made the decision that it was too risky and abruptly pulled the plane upwards. It was a terrible experience. Although I am not particularly religious, I found myself praying to a higher power for my safety.”
According to Ms Morris, the pilot’s skills and the cabin crew’s assistance were praised, but upon arrival at Birmingham airport, passengers were left feeling uncertain about transportation options to return to Bristol.
Aine Morris shared her experience of being stranded on a plane for 4.5 hours after it was redirected to Birmingham Airport.
Luckily, the crew on board provided a trolley with snacks and Ms Morris was able to enjoy a meal consisting of Cadbury’s chocolate nibbly fingers.
After some time had passed, the passengers were brought to the gate where they anxiously waited to find out if there would be a coach available to take them back to Bristol at 10:45pm.
Ms. Morris mentioned the possibility of booking a different flight to Bristol.
“Ms. Morris stated that there were a few individuals in a vulnerable position, including non-English speaking tourists and a financially struggling woman with three children, approximately aged five, six, and 18 months. The woman had been carrying her baby for an extended period of time.”
The travelers realized that EasyJet did not offer any other options for their travel arrangements and they had to find their own way back home.
At 11:15pm, Ms. Morris shared a taxi ride with a father, his teenage son, and a student from Bath University back to Bristol. The total cost was £230 split between them.
She mentioned that she has been afraid of flying, especially during extreme weather events, and when it actually happened, she thought she would be even more terrified.
Ms. Morris explained that she addressed the crisis by organizing and assisting others in arranging transportation to return home.
At 3am, she finally crawled into bed and the full weight of everything she had gone through hit her, causing her to break down in tears.
It is completely unacceptable. As a prominent European nation, it is shameful and humiliating that our national infrastructure has deteriorated to the point where the government, airports, and private transportation companies are shirking their responsibility towards the people.
A representative from EasyJet stated that Storm Isha affected the operations of all airlines in the UK on Sunday 21 January. This resulted in some flights, including EZY2786 from Lyon to Bristol, being diverted to Birmingham. Due to the increased activity at the airport, passengers were delayed in disembarking from the plane as there was a delay in airport buses being available to transport them to the terminal.
“We made every effort to mitigate the effects of the delay by providing onboard updates to customers. Upon disembarkation, we arranged transportation to Bristol for those affected and informed those who had arranged their own transportation that they would be reimbursed.”
“We prioritize the safety and welfare of our customers and crew above all else at easyJet. While we acknowledge that the weather was beyond our control, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.”
Source: independent.co.uk
