Rhodes flight delayed 32 hours

Jim Morahan

After being stranded at Dublin Airport for a second chaotic day, the 180 holiday makers finally headed off for Rhodes yesterday.

But passengers returning to Dublin from their Greek holidays were also hit by technical difficulties with the same charter plane.

Both sets of passengers were given overnight accommodation in hotels and provided with meals.

The Rhodes-bound passengers had booked packages with Budget Travel and Stein Travel. Both operators expressed regret at the delays.

Their flight was due to leave Dublin at 10.25am on Sunday morning, but passengers only got away yesterday evening.

Originally due to depart Rhodes for Dublin at 7am on Sunday, the Eurocypria flight took off but was ordered back because of a computer fault.

The plane took off again yesterday morning but then had to stop over in the Greek island of Crete for a change of crew.

“It has been an unfortunate trail of events,” a spokesperson for Budget Travel admitted. “The plane went ‘technical’ on the inbound flight from Rhodes.

“As a result, as soon as people checked in yesterday we advised them there was going to be a delay. Initially, it was going to be a 12-hour delay. At that point we gave everybody breakfast and offered lunch and dinner or if people wished, to go home.”

In a statement the company said representatives in Rhodes and Dublin airports had kept their passengers advised of the situation.

Insurance cover is available, at extra cost, that gives a holidaymaker a full refund if his flight is delayed by more than 24 hours.