Holidaymakers who suffered a nightmare 40-hour delay for TWO nights on a flight from Turkey to Manchester Airport claim there were ‘multiple faults’ with the original plane. One said there was an ‘engine bang’ which resulted in an ’emergency stop just as the nose tipped off the ground’ – with holiday giants TUI later confirming a ‘rejected start’.
Video footage filmed by passengers on board captures the moment the TUI plane suddenly brakes on the runway as screams, shouts and gasps can be heard in the background.
Holidaymaker Samantha Johnson, 35, who had to spend two nights in hotels with her husband and four children aged 15, 11, seven and three – a situation that anyone about to fly – had to endure, revealed the contents of a message sent to her later by TUI, confirming a ‘failed start’ and a subsequent ‘technical problem’.
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Before the take-off was aborted, after the aircraft had taxied to the Dalaman Airport runway, the captain announced that a ‘malfunction light’ had been activated in the cockpit.
Samantha, from Rossendale, Lancashire, said: “They said they were going to turn the plane on and off to see if that would turn the lights off. Then they said they were going to insulate a valve. Everyone was very worried.”
She claims they were kept on the plane for about four hours without food and water in the heat before engineers cleared the plane. “We used the safety briefing cards in the front of our seats to cheer us on about how hot it was,” says Samantha, an amputee.
“A few passengers asked to leave and take another flight with an alternative carrier. They were told they could, but they had to leave all their luggage in the hold.”
The aircraft then attempted to take off, but was pulled up by the captain. Samantha, who revealed a woman on board had a panic attack, said: “It was terrifying and absolutely horrible. Words cannot describe how bad this has all been. We reached full speed. You felt that the nose of the plane had gone up and then the engine stopped and the brakes were applied. It was absolutely terrifying.”
That all happened after the original flight was canceled because Samantha and the other passengers who had to travel were about to board in early Turkish time. TUI said the ‘operational crew had exceeded legally permitted working hours’. It is believed there were a total of 189 passengers on board.
The TUI flight TOM213 from Dalaman to Manchester was due to fly from Turkey at 10.40pm GMT on 8 June. The flight departed at 2:50 PM GMT on June 10, with a total delay of 40 hours and 10 minutes.
The message from TUI to Samantha states: “Initially the crew operated outside legal working hours, causing your flight to be delayed overnight. However, upon departure the aircraft encountered an aborted take-off. This resulted in a technical failure of the aircraft. problem and your flight is delayed one night for a second night.
“Your flight was operated the next day at the first opportunity.” A second message from TUI reads: “This is not the end to your holiday we hoped for you.”
Samantha was on holiday in the Turkish seaside resort of Marmaris with her family, her sister and partner and their two children. Together they were a group of 10.
Angry concerned passengers have now formed a Facebook group and say they want to ‘pursue business with TUI airlines’. They have also criticized the treatment of TUI staff and others at Dalaman airport in Turkey, claiming they were ‘neglected’ as they waited on the ground for news.
“We have already started the complaints procedure,” says Samantha. “There were 189 passengers on that flight and people were terrified. As far as we can tell, TUI in Britain did not know how we were being treated by TUI in Turkey. They did not speak to each other. TUI here has said they want us if witnesses do a proper investigation.
“We stayed on that plane for four hours without food or water in 35 degree Celsius heat while they fixed this bug. It was just ridiculous.”
The first scheduled flight was scheduled to depart from Dalaman on June 9 at 1:40 am Turkish time. Samantha claims they discovered the flight had been canceled as passengers queued in a narrow tunnel to board, with the message passed backwards from passenger to passenger.
After three hours in the terminal, hotel accommodation was arranged, she said, from where they were picked up back to Dalaman airport the next afternoon around 2pm Turkish time.
The second flight was scheduled to depart at 5:55 PM Turkish time, but was subsequently delayed due to the malfunction. An announcement was also filmed at the cabin, during which, according to the captain, a ‘malfunction light’ comes on. He goes on to say that “because of our training,” an “emergency stop” is the “safest course of action.” “It seems quite dramatic, but… I know it is upsetting and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused,” he added.
This is followed by the aborted start after a four-hour wait. “It was terrifying and horrific,” says Samantha, who has vowed never to return to Turkey.
“We sat on the runway while fire engines surrounded the plane. One lady had a severe panic attack. It was chaos and carnage. It was horrible and not once did they send medical help. We taxied back to the airport and it was horrible. it was almost midnight.
“They told us they were going to repair that plane again and put us back on, but the passengers refused. The people at the airport were in an uproar over our refusal.”
Another overnight stay in a hotel followed before all passengers were flown home the next day. “We were told they had sent a brand new plane from Birmingham,” Samantha added. “Luckily that flight was okay.
“We lost days of work and my children lost two days of school. There are also financial implications. The way we were treated at Dalaman Airport was absolutely disgusting.
“We were treated like dogs. The communication between the airline and the passengers was terrible. That plane should not have tried to leave.”
A TUI spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about customer experiences following the delayed departure of flight TOM213 from Dalaman to Manchester.
“Although we always strive to get our customers to and from their holidays as safely and smoothly as possible, this time a technical problem has unfortunately delayed the flight’s departure.
“All customers will automatically receive compensation for flight delays and we will use the lessons learned from this incident to improve communications with our customers in the future.”