Imagine your holiday ending like this..

[JonnyH]

I saw this in my local newspaper last night:

A SUMMER break ended in chaos for a couple stranded in Turkey after their flight home was axed.

Derek and Carol Pugh were put up in a hotel they described as “Fawlty Towers” after technical problems hit their flight back to Newcastle.

The pair were supposed to be home in time to celebrate Derek’s 57th birthday yesterday, but instead found themselves stranded.

Mr and Mrs Pugh had already run into trouble when they lost previous flights they had booked with holiday company ScotTravel, which went out of business earlier this month.

They were forced to pay £480 for replacement flights to Dalaman with Thomson Airways, and finally managed to enjoy a two-week break in the resort of Icmeler.

But today the pair told how their holiday ended in turmoil as their flight was taken out of service just minutes before it was due to take-off.

Together with scores of other holidaymakers, they were then ferried to two hotels close to Dalaman Airport where they stayed overnight, awaiting news for more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Thomson Airways flew engineers to Turkey to fix the aircraft, which was originally due to leave on Monday afternoon.

Carol, 49, of Fenham, Newcastle, said: “We were all on the plane when the pilot said we were going to have to turn back.

“He said it may be something minor and then that it was a hydraulic fault and we were all going to have to get off.

“We were at the gate for about an hour and no-one knew what was going on. We were taken to a hotel and it was a nightmare.

“At first they said we were going to fly back at 9am the next day, but then we got a phone call at 5am to say that wasn’t happening.

“There were people running out of money. It was like Fawlty Towers.”

Grandfather-of-two Derek, 57, a joiner, said: “Our holiday was great, but this was terrible.”

They finally arrived back on Tyneside last night after Thomson Airways organised a flight to leave Dalaman at 6pm.

A spokesman for the airline said: “Thomson Airways can confirm that flight TOM 203 Dalaman to Newcastle was delayed overnight due to a technical fault with the aircraft and would like to apologise for the inconvenience this caused.

“Thomson Airways appreciate that flight delays are frustrating and would like to reassure customers such delays are only made when absolutely necessary.

“The delay occurred because of concerns regarding the aircraft. Therefore, in the interests of customer safety, it was decided this aircraft should be taken out of service to undergo a series of tests as a precautionary measure.

“All customers were provided with overnight accommodation, an evening meal and both breakfast and lunch.”


I'd hate to be stuck with a flight being delayed for over 24 hours!!

Has anyone on the forum had a flight delayed for over 24 hours?

[reesy1959]

We had a 27 hour delay June 2008 and funnily enough, that too was a Thomson Flight, but there was no hardship for us. We knew within an hour or so that the flight would not be taking off, so they sent all the Cardiff passengers to KFC for a meal, soon afterwards we too were taken to a hotel near Dalaman Airport.

The next day we enjoyed a lovely breakfast and lunch before being taken to the airport to fly home 27 hours later than scheduled.

We were well looked after plus we got an extra night in our beloved Turkey. The airline were superb and they kept us updated at all times, they even let us make a call home to arrange alternative transfer times etc.

[adeanne0]

Hi yeah i have had a flght delayed by 30 hours at heathrow to toronto there is nothing worse than being delayed going on holiday!!

[LynnJenny]

i agree we got delayed 24 hours we were due to fly 10 am we were still waiting at 5pm they did give us vouchures evewe have been lucky since thenry couple of hours then at 6pm we were told we were staying at a hotel overnight at manchester we got our flight at 10 next morning but we lost our first day in mexico we were gutted

[Fanny]

my eldest daughter and I were delayed 28 hours coming back in Sept 06 with [oh yes!!] Excel!!

have to say it's a good job I always have "emergency funds" and also that my other children weren't with us - really felt for the folk who'd run out of cash/had young children with them

it was chaos getting to the buses to take us to our emergency accom and to make things worse, the minibus had a blow-out tyre on the way there - you just couldn't make it up hehehe

anyway, we ended up in fantastic AI accom in Dalyan and I have to say the "blitz spirit" prevailed - I was handing out facewipes and toothpaste at breakfast
we really made the most of it

it could have been a lot worse, and like someone else has said, at least we got another night in Turkey

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

wow that would of been a terrible end to your holiday
cause for me when i know im going home and im on the transfer back i just wanna get home cause i know theres no going back to icmeler
xxxxx

[Erik The Viking]

i got delayed 19 hours returning from tunisia, mind you they did send a bloke with a guitar to 'entertain' us....

[Fanny]

sounds like the Tunisians have a particularly nasty streak Eric - being delayed is bad enough
at least they didn't send Michael Jackson and Tina Turner to Dalaman to pass the time for us

[JonnyH]

sounds like the Tunisians have a particularly nasty streak Eric - being delayed is bad enough
at least they didn't send Michael Jackson and Tina Turner to Dalaman to pass the time for us

Off topic but he's just died

[Erik The Viking]

RIP Jacko, my idol as a youngster

[Fanny]

seriously chaps, talk about "mouth and foot in it"
I'd not heard the sad news when I posted earlier, and my post was only meant in jest!

such sad news to hear that MJs passed away, terible time for his family

[reesy1959]

:oops:
seriously chaps, talk about "mouth and foot in it"
I'd not heard the sad news when I posted earlier, and my post was only meant in jest!

such sad news to hear that MJs passed away, terible time for his family

Haha Fanny, you make me laugh

[juju]

36 hour delay from Larnaca to bournemouth....had been in Northern Cyprus and travelling independently but was a T*****C*** flight!We got taken to a holiday inn in Nicosia....awful.A group of young lads didnt have a penny left and the rep....how I didnt strangle her I dont know.She said we were lucky to be in a hotel....no its an EU agreement,and the state everyone was in....you know how you dump all your stuff and shove everything in a case......well beware!It might be you wandering around in dirty creased clothes with no deodorant or toothpaste!making phone calls to the cattery and work.....ugh!