Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
02 July 2013 09:09
Passengers on an easyJet plane were left stranded on the runway in baking temperatures
Airline easyJet has apologised after British tourists were left stranded for 30 hours in extreme heat due to an overnight delay on a flight from Egypt to Gatwick Airport.
The 164 passengers, who included pregnant women, babies and pensioners, were forced to stay on board for five hours when Thursday's scheduled 5pm take-off from Sharm El-Sheikh was delayed because of a technical issue.
Those on board, mostly Britons, claimed that the temperature approached 30C (86F) before they were let off the plane and put up in a hotel.
The flight was rescheduled for Friday morning, but this was moved back to 7pm and then delayed even further to 10.40pm. The plane finally landed at Gatwick at 4am on Saturday.
Passenger Luke Gayle, 20, of Croydon, south London, said: "It was a disgrace. People were crying and understandably losing their tempers while we were stuck on the tarmac. A woman six months pregnant lay across three seats. It was roasting hot and there was no food. The captain had to come out and try to calm everyone down - and again in the airport next day."
Extreme events such as this highlight the importance of having travel insurance before flying abroad, including seniors travel insurance for older travellers and travel insurance for pregnancy for those who are expecting.
In a statement, the airline apologised to the passengers for any inconvenience or distress caused by the delay and assured them that everything was done to minimise the disruption.
"The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is easyJet's highest priority and the aircraft's departure was delayed while inspection and repair procedures were followed on the ground," the company said.
"All passengers were transferred to accommodation where every effort was made to ensure that they were comfortable and kept informed as to the flight's rescheduled departure time on 28 June and notified that they were able to make up to two telephone calls free of charge. We apologise if there was a delay in any of those passengers receiving this information on arrival at the hotel."
19 April 2018
A self-injected smart drug may be the key to easing and preventing pain for migraine sufferers.
[more...]
17 April 2018
Despite its reputation as a party drug, ketamine is licensed as an anaesthetic. A recent US study found use of the drug via a nasal spray led to "significant" improvements in depressive symptoms in the first 24 hours.
Simple brain-training exercises carried out at home have been shown to reduce emotional stress in female breast cancer survivors, it's recently been revealed.
13 April 2018
Drinkers who consume more alcohol than UK guidelines suggest could be cutting years off their lives, according to new research.
12 April 2018
A recent study has revealed that people who sustain brain injuries are at an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.
11 April 2018
Scientists have announced their latest breakthrough in the battle against Alzheimer's disease, after neutralising a high-risk gene in a human brain cell for the first time.
07 April 2018
The Philippines is set to shut its most famous holiday island of Boracay for six months, after the President described it as a "cesspool".
05 April 2018
Taxes on soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco - nicknamed "sin taxes" - could be a powerful step towards combating rising rates of chronic diseases worldwide, research has suggested.
New "one-stop shops" to speed up cancer diagnosis are being trialled across the country for the first time.
30 March 2018
Doctors should tell patients that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking but not without risk, according to new national guidance.
29 March 2018
Young people suffering from mental health problems are finding it hard to get the support they need, a survey has revealed.
28 March 2018
Children exposed to epilepsy drugs in the womb may achieve poorer test results at school, a study has suggested.