Family forced to sleep on airport floor after their flight cancelled due to snow
A family was left furious after claiming they were forced to sleep on an airport floor after their flight was cancelled due to heavy snow.
Holidaymaker Sean O'Callaghan claimed he received "no help" from easyJet on March 9, and said he slept on the floor at Belfast International Airport with his sister Amy and their disabled mum, who struggles to walk.
The 27-year-old said he was not offered food, water or a hotel to stay in after the flight cancellation.
The budget airline said it did everything it could to minimise disruption - including offering free transfers or refunds, as well as hotel rooms and meals to any customers who needed them.
However, it added there was limited availability due to high demand, and all airline customers were being impacted by the weather.
Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts
EasyJet said that any passengers forced to make their own accommodation arrangements will be reimbursed.
Meanwhile, the family's new flight, which was scheduled to depart from Northern Ireland at 7.30pm on Friday, was delayed again, Sean said.
Sean and his family were forced to sleep on the floor at the airport (PA)He told Birmingham Live: "They boarded us at 8pm last night but we sat on the tarmac until midnight.
"We were eventually told to leave as the plane wouldn't be taking off due to blizzards. It's left us stuck at Belfast International for 24 hours - we had to sleep on the floor in arrivals, and we're still here now.
"We live in Birmingham and travelled to Belfast for a mid-week getaway. My mother is disabled and struggles to walk. She hasn't had any help.
"There is a number of people from Birmingham here, including children and elderly people, who were also forced to sleep on the floor in a freezing airport."
Sean, who works at an insurance company, added that he has been "hit financially" by the long wait.
An easyJet spokesperson said: "Due to the closure of the runway at Belfast Airport yesterday as a result of snow, airlines experienced some disruption to their flying programmes. This included flight EZY197 from Belfast to Birmingham which was unable to operate.
"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our highest priority and we did everything possible to minimise the impact of the weather disruption for our customers, providing a free transfer or refund for customers whose flights were cancelled as well as hotel rooms and meals for any customers who needed them and we advise any customers who arrange their own that they will be reimbursed.
"While this was outside of our control, we would like to apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused as a result of the weather."
Weather maps forecast 750-mile blizzard dropping three inches of snow next week
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
