EasyJet passengers stranded in Frankfurt for 24 hours after plane diverts

Exclusive: Holidaymakers returning from Turkey were told by airline’s customer service department that they had flown to Manchester, even though they were stranded in Germany

Orange alert: easyJet failed to deliver the stipulated duty of care (Simon Calder)

Britain’s biggest budget airline has been accused of a catalogue of failings after a flight from Turkey diverted to Frankfurt.

On Friday 2 August, easyJet flight 1944 was two-thirds of the way through a scheduled flight from Dalaman to Manchester, flying over southwest Germany, when the pilots decided to land because of a warning indication.

The Airbus A320neo was met by emergency vehicles when it touched down at Germany’s busiest airport at 5.30pm local time.

For around 180 passengers, a struggle to find accommodation was about to begin.

One passenger, Simon Todd, was travelling with his wife and two children. He told The Independent: “Initially we were informed that easyJet were trying to locate a flight engineer to OK the plane so we could continue the trip.

“Then after about an hour we were told by the flight crew that we would be staying in Frankfurt overnight and that transport and a hotel would be provided.

“It then took a further two hours to get us of the plane as there were no buses available. Calls and attempted live chats to easyJet customer services did not work.

“During the very long wait for our bags we were told by an airport worker that there was no transport available and that we should get taxis to a Holiday Inn in central Frankfurt.”

Mr Todd was then sent an email warning of a delay stretching over 24 hours – departing from Frankfurt at 5pm the following afternoon.

It is not clear why seats were not found on one of the four Lufthansa departures for Manchester before then, as European air passengers’ rights rules stipulate.

The same regulations, known as EU261, also require the airline to provide hotel rooms and transport to reach them.

It took Mr Todd and his family “another couple of hours” to get a taxi. ”During this time some of us got an e-mail from easyJet stating that we should not make our own arrangements as we would not get reimbursed. But there was no sign of an easyJet representative nor any form of transport for us.”

The taxi to the Holiday Inn cost €35, and they reached it at around 11pm. “We arrived at the hotel to find that easyJet had booked 30 rooms for 180 passengers and there were no rooms left,” said Mr Todd.

“It turns out that this Holiday Inn is about 50 metres from the Frankfurt red-light district, with extensive drug use and prostitution. Many of us had children with us and it was a horrible environment to be stood around trying to work out how to contact easyJet and what to do next.

“At this point we took the decision to book our own hotel. We easily found a Mercure Hotel close to the airport.” They took another taxi to the hotel, which cost €45 due to the late hour.

The family had had nothing to eat and little to drink since they left their resort in Turkey around 14 hours earlier, despite the European rules requiring easyJet to provide meals for passengers facing lengthy delays.

Next morning Mr Todd contacted easyJet customer services. “We were told that our flight was yesterday and had arrived at its destination,” he said. “They didn’t seem to know what we had been through or even that there was 180 passengers abandoned in Frankfurt. The online chat option yielded the same result."

The family eventually flew back to Manchester on a replacement flight operated by easyJet, arriving over 24 hours late. But, said Mr Todd: “It seems people’s claims for hotel rooms, taxis and food during this debacle are being turned down! Some have been told that they should have used the provided transport and accommodation.

“I have used easyJet many times. But when I needed them most they let us down badly and now it looks as if they are trying to get out of paying our expenses created by their own incompetence.

“Believe me, I would have much preferred not to have had to pay for my own transport and a room for my family, I would have loved easyJet to do what they said they were going to do and have a representative to help us get through a very difficult night.

“A big company like easyJet should have a plan in place for all eventualities but it seems they don’t.”

An easyJet spokesperson said: “The Todd family’s flight was required to divert to Frankfurt due to a technical issue and this unfortunately resulted in an overnight delay.

“Due to a lack of coach availability at Frankfurt Airport unfortunately the family encountered a further delay disembarking the aircraft and we are also investigating the luggage delays with the airport.

“In instances such as this, and in line with EU261 regulations, we provide hotel accommodation to customers who require it. Should passengers be required to arrange their own accommodation we will reimburse them.

“Our hotel provider booked rooms for affected customers at two hotels. However the Todd family were mistakenly directed to a hotel where customers had already checked into the rooms we reserved.

“We are sorry they were sent to this hotel when they should have been directed to the alternative hotel which had rooms reserved and we appreciate this will have caused further frustration for the family.

“We are very sorry for the Todd family’s experience and we have been in touch to reimburse them for any expenses incurred and to provide compensation in line with EU261.”

The plane stayed on the ground for over 48 hours before it flew to Berlin and re-entered passenger service with a flight to Gatwick.