A Brit traveller has been left stranded abroad and forced to sleep on an airport floor after her flight from Greece to Manchester was dramatically diverted to Milan.
Maddison Watson received the dreaded announcement mid-flight when the pilot informed passengers that their trip home had been cancelled.
The 24-year-old said cabin crew told travellers they needed to make an emergency landing.
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But despite being promised hotel accommodation, the digital marketing worker – along with dozens of other Brits – ended up stranded in the airport for more than 13 hours.
“The whole situation was stressful, exhausting and incredibly frustrating,” Maddison told Need To Know.
“We were told accommodation had already been arranged.
“However, communication was extremely poor and many passengers, including myself, were left confused and stranded in the airport without clear information about what was happening next.
“Passengers were largely left trying to figure things out themselves. No water, no food. Nothing.”
Maddison had boarded an easyJet flight from Greece to Manchester on 12 May when the plane was diverted to Milan.
According to the passenger, travellers were initially told they would continue their journey home from Milan.
However, after landing, the situation changed completely – luggage was unloaded and staff informed passengers they would instead be flying home the following day.
Despite repeated promises of accommodation, many passengers, including Maddison, were allegedly left without guidance and forced to remain in the airport overnight.
She said: “One minute we were expecting to land back in Manchester, and the next we woke up in a completely different country airport with no proper plan in place.
“It was especially upsetting after already dealing with the stress of an emergency landing.”
Desperate to get some rest, Maddison attempted to sleep on the airport floor.
But after just over an hour of sleep, she claims airport security woke passengers by kicking their suitcases.
Maddison said: “I stayed on the Milan airport floor.
“I managed to get to sleep for an hour and a half before being woken up to the Italian police force softly kicking our suitcases and stopping us from getting rest as it didn’t look good.
“easyJet said if we went ahead and made our own plans we wouldn’t receive further help or reimbursements.
“I wasn’t alone – there were many other passengers in the same situation who were equally frustrated and confused.”
The delay returning home also caused a string of costly problems for passengers who missed work and appointments.
Due to the diversion and overnight delay in Milan, Maddison missed several appointments and had to pay for them in full once she returned to the UK.
She said: “On top of the financial impact, it also caused a lot of emotional stress and uncertainty.
“I also ran out of medication as I wasn’t planning on being away for an extra day.”
The passenger has now slammed easyJet over what she described as “poor” communication, claiming travellers were left without proper guidance throughout the ordeal.
Maddison added: “When trying to contact the airline for help, responses were slow and unclear.
“Passengers struggled to get consistent answers about flights, accommodation and what would happen next.
“Don’t say things as a global airline and not go through with it.”
Jam Press has approached easyJet for comment.
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