Flight from Britain to Turkey delayed by 7 hours after champagne cork damages ceiling

Oxygen masks dropped down and startled passengers

(Getty Images)

An air stewardess who released a champagne cork into a plane's ceiling inadvertently caused a seven hour delay for passengers after the aircraft was forced to ground, according to reports.

The flight from Britain to Turkey had to be diverted after a hard-hitting cork damaged the ceiling and caused oxygen masks to drop around the ears of startled passengers at the back of the plane.

Grounding off-route in Milan, the easyJet flight left many passengers frustrated by the serious impact of an apparently tiny object.

"All that hassle, delay and money wasted by easyJet - all over a champagne cork," one passenger told The Sun. "No one on the flight could believe it and people I have spoken to have found it hilarious.”

A stewardess on the plane, which was travelling from Gatwick to the stunning coastal area of Dalaman, apparently accidentally fired the cork into the ceiling whilst opening a bottle for two passengers.

The pilot then came out apologetically to say the plane would have to divert to Milan because it could not fly with the oxygen masks hanging down, according to The Sun.

Holiday-makers were meant to reach their destination at 10.30pm but did not arrive in Dalaman in Turkey until 5.30am the next day.

The airline confirmed the delay and apologised for the delay.

A spokesperson said The Sun: "In line with safety procedures the captain took the correct decision to divert so that the cabin crew oxygen masks could be reset."