Angry passengers stranded at airport
The 178 passengers, including five-month-old twins, had been due to fly out at 7.05pm on Thursday on a chartered Boeing 757 to Lanzarote.
Passengers were told that the plane, chartered from Shannon-based Eirjet by Falcon package holidays, was unable to land because of fog.
However, management at Cork Airport confirmed that approximately 50 other aircraft were able to land successfully. They said they believed that the Boeing was probably not equipped with ‘G2’ technology which would have enabled landing. Instead the plane was diverted to Shannon.
A number of passengers spoke yesterday of their frustration at inaccurate information they had received.
Some passengers were taken to hotels on Thursday night, but then recalled to the airport for the flight at 1am. Again a plane failed to materialise.
Airport management said they were informed yesterday that a plane was to land at 1.30pm and depart for Lanzarote an hour later. Another delay was then announced.
Basil O’Byrne, from Kilkishen, Co Clare, said he initially sympathised with the airline as delays can happen. But he said he couldn’t understand if the plane had landed in Shannon why passengers weren’t bussed there.
Deputy Noel O’Flynn urged passengers to seek compensation under new legislation introduced by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen.
