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Original poster

Well this has never happened to me before - and I don't like it.

259 replies

Timeforatincture · 23/02/2025 01:02

19:30 flight from Lanzarote ponced about for ages on the tarmac then threw us all off at 23:30. No offer of accommodation or any indication of time of replacement flight. At least a cafe is open (poor sod at the till) and we had a bottle of gin. You had this?

OP posts:
Zanzara · 23/02/2025 05:32

We had a flight from Lanzarote last year that was six hours late taking off, and dudn't leave till half past midnight. It was a pain, but the upside was we got £700 compensation under EU rules for the two of us with no quibbling whatsoever from Ryanair.

Hope you've got sorted now OP. Have they said why it's delayed? As long as it's not something outside the airline's control, you should be compensated.

Original poster
Timeforatincture · 23/02/2025 05:43

Still bloody here with no indication of when we'll depart.
We were late boarding for some reason and by the time the plane was ready a tail wind had got up so it wasn't safe to take off away from the mountain, and we were too heavy to take off towards the mountain. Don't know if this counts as beyond their control, as they chose to make it too heavy.

OP posts:
StopGo · 23/02/2025 06:03

BA2709 to Gatwick? Your flight is delayed until 15:40 this afternoon. No idea why though. What an awful way to treat people.

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 06:21

We're here with you OP

Princessfluffy · 23/02/2025 06:23

What a PITA OP
Hope it's sorted soon. Did you have a good holiday?

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 06:23

We've been charging up phones in the one cafe that is open. No offer of accommodation help, the "representatives" couldn't give a toss either. Current estimated leaving is 15:40, unless a mysterious wind reappears...

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 06:25

Timeforatincture · 23/02/2025 05:43

Still bloody here with no indication of when we'll depart.
We were late boarding for some reason and by the time the plane was ready a tail wind had got up so it wasn't safe to take off away from the mountain, and we were too heavy to take off towards the mountain. Don't know if this counts as beyond their control, as they chose to make it too heavy.

According to crew, the plane isn't even full so what have they got in the hold that shouldn't be there??

MinnieCoops · 23/02/2025 06:40

They should have put you up in a hotel and depending on reason you'll get compensation.

Productiveone · 23/02/2025 06:48

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
Timeforatincture · 23/02/2025 06:51

Yes they bloody should! At least we'd have been able to have a wash. The replacement flight (if it appears) is going to be full of very smelly people.

And we won't be able to get home as we live miles from Gatwick and the trains will have stopped. We sensibly booked hotel for last night. Hah!

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 06:52

We're fortunately not too far but that's not the point. We are all extremely tired and cold as it's pretty bloody freezing here

TheaBrandt1 · 23/02/2025 06:59

Happened twice hilariously on same annual girls trip! If you are with a budget airline you are on your own whatever they may say. You need to make your own arrangements pay for yourself but keep receipts to reclaim costs later. It’s a right pain and feel for those who are traveling with young children or elderly under confident passengers, if you couldn’t use a phone to find accommodation/ rebook the flight you would be stuffed.

ItShouldntHappenToMeYet · 23/02/2025 07:00

Timeforatincture · 23/02/2025 05:43

Still bloody here with no indication of when we'll depart.
We were late boarding for some reason and by the time the plane was ready a tail wind had got up so it wasn't safe to take off away from the mountain, and we were too heavy to take off towards the mountain. Don't know if this counts as beyond their control, as they chose to make it too heavy.

Read how planes work (or rather don't work!) In high winds, particularly around mountains.
And after the 1977 Tenerife plane crash, ifca pilot flying fron the Canaries says s/he isn't taking off due to weather, then I'm not moaning!

beencaughttrollin · 23/02/2025 07:00

Keep in mind that EU Passenger Rights apply since your origin is in Spain. There may be a reason why you're not entitled to compensation for an overnight stay (and associated costs like meal, communications, local transport, etc) , but it's worth asking - EU rules say that the airline must give you a written indication of/explanation for a long delay, so worth asking just to have in hand whatever is available.

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 07:01

TheaBrandt1 · 23/02/2025 06:59

Happened twice hilariously on same annual girls trip! If you are with a budget airline you are on your own whatever they may say. You need to make your own arrangements pay for yourself but keep receipts to reclaim costs later. It’s a right pain and feel for those who are traveling with young children or elderly under confident passengers, if you couldn’t use a phone to find accommodation/ rebook the flight you would be stuffed.

We were so late being taken off the plane that hotels were not accepting anyone

JustMyView13 · 23/02/2025 07:06

It sounds like you have plenty of time to read up on your EU rights. You can claim reasonable expenses from the airline so you should get a taxi back if you claim.
Winds won’t be their fault but whatever came before that likely is. The crew have probably gone out of hours hence you won’t be going anywhere until they’ve had minimum rest. Terrible they didn’t communicate this with you & give you the option to leave the airport and come back.

CarolNoE · 23/02/2025 07:07

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

No, the £700 mentioned was compensation.

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 07:10

JustMyView13 · 23/02/2025 07:06

It sounds like you have plenty of time to read up on your EU rights. You can claim reasonable expenses from the airline so you should get a taxi back if you claim.
Winds won’t be their fault but whatever came before that likely is. The crew have probably gone out of hours hence you won’t be going anywhere until they’ve had minimum rest. Terrible they didn’t communicate this with you & give you the option to leave the airport and come back.

If they'd not taken 1.5 hours to board a small Airbus, we could have left on time. But they kept us hanging around on the end of the runway and wouldn't let us take off the way we needed to.

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 07:11

We also couldn't leave the airport as there were no hotels

LillyPJ · 23/02/2025 07:15

I had a Ryanair flight from Budapest cancelled meaning I had to stay an extra night. Ryanair staff just told us to sort ourselves out, keep receipts and claim the expense back. Found a hotel with breakfast and shuttle service, bought one sandwich and a coffee (total of about £90) and flew home next day. It took me about a year of form-filling, arguing, emails, Aviation Dispute Resolution then filing a court claim before Ryanair paid up.

RampantIvy · 23/02/2025 07:18

I know budget airlines treat their passengers shoddily, but I would have expected better from BA.

Last time something similar happened to us we were flying home from Madeira with Tui. They bussed us to a hotel and flew us home the next day. Tui handled it beautifully and just paid for everything. We weren't out of pocket at all.

PigInADuvet · 23/02/2025 07:18

This is my biggest fear travelling with our autistic child 😱 He loves travelling and I want to show him the world but this would actually be a living hell. Not just for him/us but for everyone stuck on that plane with him for 4 hours going nowhere.

I hope that you and those stuck with you get sorted soon, sounds like you'll need a holiday to get over this one!

JustMyView13 · 23/02/2025 07:23

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 07:10

If they'd not taken 1.5 hours to board a small Airbus, we could have left on time. But they kept us hanging around on the end of the runway and wouldn't let us take off the way we needed to.

Show quote history

There will be a reason for this delay though. That’ll be important in regards to your claim.

I’ve been in this situation before and it’s awful. We got ‘lucky’ though because our delay was compounded by a lightening strike on our delayed flight, which made the plane not fit to fly until maintenance signed it off the next day. EasyJet nabbed a different aircraft from the morning schedule and got us home (very late) though. We got the compensation because the initial delay was their fault.

Glittertwins · 23/02/2025 07:24

Even the crew were unhappy with the pilot's lack of communication.

autumn1610 · 23/02/2025 07:30

it may have also been past the time flights are allowed to take off, some airports have curfews which I did not realise! I got stuck in Frankfurt, they loaded us on the plane and then literally back off and said sorry we can’t take off after I think it was 10pm. Sent us to a hotel and gave us a taxi voucher by the time I got in my room was gone midnight and had managed to get on a flight to Brussels and then Manchester but needed to be back at the airport to fly at 6, was an absolute piss about