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A significant number of travelers from Northern Ireland have found themselves stranded in Tunisia following the cancellation of their EasyJet flight, with the airline informing passengers that no alternative flights are available for another ten days. Among those affected, one man revealed to BBC News NI that he has already spent £4,000 arranging travel for his family of five, while Georgina Doherty, who is stranded with her six children, shared that they are trying to return home after the passing of her mother-in-law.
Several passengers have reported running out of essential medication during the unexpected delay, and many have criticized EasyJet for poor communication and lack of adequate support. In response, the airline announced it would operate an additional direct flight to Belfast on Tuesday night and expressed regret for the disruption caused. Over 100 travelers were confirmed to be booked on the flight departing from Enfidha-Hammamet Airport to Belfast International, scheduled three days prior to the cancellation.
Stuart McCartney from Dromore, County Down, detailed how he had incurred significant expenses on accommodation and alternative flights, including booking a route through Brussels. “I’m willing to pay £4,000 to get us home, if needs be, and then battle for reimbursement if I have to after that,” he said. McCartney pointed out that EasyJet had provided two nights’ accommodation but then expected passengers to arrange and cover the cost of lodging for the duration of the delay. His mother, Katherine, who was traveling with his family and depends on heart medication, has had to closely monitor her remaining supply as the wait extends. An EasyJet spokesperson responded, stating the airline was supporting Mr. McCartney by supplying hotel accommodation and meals, as well as promising to reimburse any additional expenses.
Georgina Doherty, originally from Londonderry and now residing in County Donegal, described the experience as an “absolute nightmare.” Her husband had returned home a day before their planned flight because his mother fell ill, and with her subsequent passing, Doherty and her children have been left stranded. Similar to McCartney, Doherty and her children received two nights’ accommodation, but on the third day, they were asked either to check out or pay upfront for additional nights—a cost she estimated to be over €3,700 (£3,170). She expressed the stress of managing her children’s grief alongside the financial pressures and the feeling of abandonment by EasyJet amid a “complete blackout of communication.”
McCartney recounted that passengers had completed all departure procedures on Saturday night and waited at the gate only for the flight to be cancelled after more than two hours of delay. The pilot cited multiple technical issues with the aircraft, including a steering problem. Passengers were eventually bused to different hotels in the early hours of Sunday. On his return to the airport on Sunday, McCartney found that an EasyJet agent was unable to locate any alternative routes flying home sooner. Facing pressing commitments—children due back at school and adults returning to work—McCartney secured flights via Brussels and was scheduled to arrive in Dublin on Wednesday, despite a long layover. The prolonged uncertainty has taken a toll on his family, with his son having a severe emotional reaction to the extended delay. Nonetheless, McCartney highlighted the strong support among stranded passengers, praising the “unbelievable” camaraderie as they helped each other with transport, translations, and finding new routes home.
Another passenger, Martine Murray from Belfast, shared her urgent need to return home to care for her seriously ill mother. She described having to borrow money to afford alternative accommodation after leaving a hotel EasyJet had arranged, which she called “dirty.” Murray, who has COPD and ran out of her inhaler during the delay, received an email about her cancelled flight but has been unable to gather further details despite persistent attempts to contact the airline. “Get us home, we need to get home now,” she pleaded. Expressing her frustration, she said, “I would never travel with them (EasyJet) again.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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