How a two-hour flight became a 23-hour ordeal for Mallorca easyJet passengers after medical diversion

More than 150 easyJet passengers – many of them families with young children – finally arrived at Liverpool John Lennon airport almost a day late after an exhausting ordeal.

Their plane from Palma diverted to Bordeaux because of a medical emergency. The flight crew were unable to continue the journey, resulting in some people sleeping on the airport floor. The airline has apologised.

EasyJet flight 3362 from Mallorca to Merseyside had begun normally on Tuesday 3 June. The Airbus A320 began its 1,000-mile journey, which normally takes 2h20m, shortly before midnight.

But soon after the plane had passed the halfway point to Liverpool, the pilots decided to divert because of concern about the health of a male passenger on board. Reports say there were fears that he was suffering a stroke.

At that point the aircraft was just approaching Nantes in western France. But instead of landing at the city’s airport, the jet turned around and flew back for 150 miles to Bordeaux, where it landed safely half-an-hour later. Paramedics attended the aircraft. Fortunately the passenger was able to walk from the aircraft. He was taken to a local hospital and was later declared fit to fly.

Normally the plane would be refuelled and continue its journey. But The Independent understands no fuel was available due to the late hour. With the crew reaching the end of their allowed hours, the flight could not continue from Bordeaux.

One passenger, Edward Watkins, said: “The captain announced that crew had run out of time and due to no fuel being available, everyone would have to be offloaded and reclaim baggage, then wait for ground staff with instructions for hotel accommodation.”

Passengers have said they waited an hour for an easyJet representative to appear. The airline disputes that assertion, saying easyJet staff were present from the time the passengers arrived.

Mr Watkins continued: “The representative told us that a hotel had been secured 50 minutes away and that coaches would be provided.

“Eventually one coach arrived, with no more coming. The easyJet representative then said passengers could get a taxi and claim the cost back from easyJet – the taxi fare was a minimum of €160 [£135].

“Those who made it to the hotel found there were not enough rooms for all.”

The hotel was the upmarket Relais de Margaux Hotel and Spa, where it appears 53 rooms were booked – well short of the number needed.

Mr Watkins was among the passengers who stayed the night at the airport. They were given refreshment vouchers worth €27 (£23).

A new flight was scheduled for 6.40pm on Wednesday. Passengers were given additional vouchers worth €18 (£15) to spend in the airport as they waited.

The plane, with a new crew, eventually took off shortly after 9pm local time, over two hours late. It reached Liverpool just before 10pm, 23 hours after the journey had begun.

The previous night’s crew travelled as passengers, along with the man whose condition had led to the diversion. He had been cleared to fly.

A spokesperson for easyJet said: "Flight EZY3362 from Palma to Liverpool on 3 June was required to divert to Bordeaux due to a customer requiring urgent medical assistance, which led to the crew reaching their safety regulated operating hours and the flight was delayed overnight.

"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and we did all we could to minimise the impact of the diversion.

“We always work to source hotel accommodation, meals and transport where needed and while our team in the airport worked hard to arrange this for the majority of customers, as there was limited availability we also advised any customers who sourced their own that they will be reimbursed.

"As some customers remained in the airport, we worked with the airport to make them as comfortable as possible and provided refreshment vouchers overnight and on the day for all customers ahead of departure.

“While the circumstances were outside of our control, we are very sorry for the inconvenience this will have caused.”