Tia Watson, 24, and her family had flown out to Fuerteventura on Monday, February 14, and were due to return on Friday, February 18. However, the landing was aborted near Manchester Airport as it was deemed unsafe during vicious Storm Eunice’s 80mph winds.
Tia’s flight was diverted instead to Bordeaux, France, and the mum claims she, her partner Martin Beard and their four-year-old daughter were then at the airport for two to three hours before being put in a hotel overnight.
Nottinghamshire Live reports the family were told in a text that their new flight home would be at 7.40pm the next day – Saturday February 19 – but when they arrived at the airport they couldn’t see their journey listed on the departure board.
A Ryanair delegate at the airport told them they had, in fact, missed the flight – as it was at 10am.
They were then booked on a flight on Wednesday February 23 – some five days after they were supposed to have touched down in Manchester.
Tia, who is from Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, said: “We got to breakfast at the hotel (on Saturday) and there was literally no one at the hotel from our flight.
“We thought this was really weird because the flight we were on was full and there were hundreds of people in our hotel.
“Reception told us that they all got picked up on free coaches this morning.
“We assumed that everyone had been told the correct flight and we’re the only ones that had received the error.
“So we were on the phone to Ryanair all day asking what’s going on and they said ‘don’t worry we can see that your flight is still at 7.40pm so just get to the airport normal time and your flight will be there’.”
Tia added: “After being on the phone for hours all day (on Saturday), getting to the airport with a four-year-old, I’m pregnant myself and obviously it’s very, very stressful.
“My partner is a reception teacher in Arnold and he’s had to contact the headteacher and let him know. It’s a nightmare.
“We’ve got absolutely nothing now.
“We were in Fuerteventura so we obviously only packed summer clothes so now we’re in 8C weather in dresses and sandals with no money, no clothes.
“If I don’t laugh, I will cry. I was just crying all day.”
The young family managed to get home late on Sunday February 20 in the end.
A spokesman for Ryanair said: “Due to Storm Eunice, this flight from Fuerteventura to Manchester (18 Feb) diverted to Bordeaux. Overnight accommodation was provided for all affected customers and a new flight was scheduled for the following morning (19th Feb) from Bordeaux to Manchester.
“The details of this flight were communicated to passengers at the airport, however an email with an incorrect flight time was subsequently communicated and a small number of passengers missed this flight. Affected passengers were provided with an extra night’s accommodation in Bordeaux and a new flight was arranged for these passengers, who departed for Manchester on Sunday, 20th Feb. Ryanair sincerely apologises to those affected.”
