Holidaymakers who suffered a nightmare 40-hour delay over TWO nights on a flight to Manchester Airport from Turkey claim the original plane had “multiple malfunctions”. One said there was an “engine knock” which resulted in an “emergency stop just as the nose came away from the ground” – with holiday giants TUI later confirming a “refused take-off”.
Video footage taken by passengers on board shows the moment the TUI plane suddenly brakes on the runway, with shouts, screams and gasps heard in the background.
Holidaymaker Samantha Johnson, 35, who was forced to spend two nights in hotels with her husband and four children aged 15, 11, seven and three – a situation endured by everyone due to fly – revealed the contents of a message later sent to her by TUI , which confirms “rejected takeoff” and subsequent “technical problem”.
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Before the aborted takeoff, after the plane pulled onto the runway at Dalaman Airport, the captain reported that a “trouble light” had come on 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 put the light out. Then they said they were going to isolate the valve. Everyone was very worried.”
They claim they were kept in the plane without food or water in the baking heat for about four hours before engineers gave the plane the all-clear. “We were using safety cards in the front of our seats to fan us, it was so hot,” said Samantha, who is an amputee.
“Several passengers asked to leave and get another flight with an alternative carrier. They were told they could, but they would have to leave all their luggage in the hold.”
The flight then attempted to take off but was pulled out by the captain. Samantha, who revealed the woman had a panic attack on board, said: “It was terrifying and absolutely horrible. Words can’t describe how bad it all was. We reached full speed. You could feel the nose of the plane go up. The engine burst and the brakes were on, it was absolutely terrifying.”
All that came after the original flight was canceled as Samantha and the other passengers due to travel were about to board in the early hours of the morning Turkish time. TUI said the “operating crew had reached their statutory working hours”. There were a total of 189 passengers on board.
TUI flight TOM213 from Dalaman to Manchester was scheduled to depart from Turkey on Jun 8 at 22:40 GMT. It took off at 14:50 GMT on 10 June with a total delay of 40 hours and 10 minutes.
TUI’s message to Samantha said: “Initially the operating crew ran out of statutory working hours which resulted in your flight being delayed overnight. However, the aircraft encountered a rejected take-off on departure. This resulted in the aircraft encountering a technical fault.” problem and your flight is delayed for a second night overnight.
“Your flight was made at the earliest opportunity the next day.” A second message sent to her by TUI read: “This is not the end of your holiday that we would have hoped for you.”
Samantha was on holiday in the Turkish resort of Marmaris with her family, her sister and partner and their two children. Together they were a party of 10.
Angry passengers involved have now set up a Facebook group saying they want to ‘follow up with TUI airlines’. They also criticized their treatment by 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 process,” Samantha said. “There were 189 passengers on that flight and people were scared. From what we can gather, TUI in the UK didn’t know how we were treated by TUI in Turkey. They weren’t talking to each other. TUI here said they wanted us to investigate properly as witnesses.
“We stayed on that plane for four hours without food or drink in 35°C while they fixed this fault. It was just ridiculous.”
The initial scheduled flight was scheduled to depart from Dalaman at 1:40 a.m. Turkish time on June 9. Samantha claims she discovered it had been canceled while passengers were queuing in a narrow tunnel to board, with the message being passed back from passenger to passenger.
After three hours in the terminal, hotel accommodation was arranged, she said, from where they were picked up back at Dalaman Airport the following afternoon around 2pm Turkish time.
The second flight was supposed to depart at 17:55 Turkish time, but was then delayed due to fault. A cabin announcement was also filmed in which the captain says that the malfunction light will come on. He goes on to say that “due to our training” an “emergency stop” is the “safest course of action”. “It seems quite dramatic, but… I know it’s worrying and I’m really sorry for the inconvenience,” he adds.
This is followed by an aborted takeoff after a four-hour wait. “It was scary and horrible,” said Samantha, who vowed never to return to Turkey.
“We were sitting on the runway while the fire engines surrounded the plane. One lady had a massive panic attack. It was chaos and carnage. It was terrible and not once did they send any medical help. We drove back to the airport and it was almost midnight.
“They told us they were going to fix the plane – again – and put us back on it, but the passengers refused. The people at the airport were against our refusal.”
Another overnight stay at the hotel followed before all passengers were flown home the following day. “We were told they sent a brand new plane from Birmingham,” added Samantha. “Fortunately, the flight was fine.
“We lost days of work and my children lost two days of school. There are also financial consequences. The way they treated us at Dalaman airport was absolutely disgusting.”
“We were treated like dogs. The communication between the airline and the passengers was appalling. That plane should not have been allowed to attempt to depart.”
A TUI spokesman said: “We are sorry to hear about customers’ experiences following the delayed departure of flight TOM213 from Dalaman to Manchester.
“While we always try to get our customers to and from their holiday as safely and smoothly as possible, unfortunately on this occasion a technical issue delayed the flight’s departure.
“All customers will automatically receive compensation for flight delays and we will learn from this incident to improve communication with our customers.”