Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air dumped passengers on Sunday night's Tel Aviv - London Gatwick flight in Doncaster in Northern England, more than 300 kilometers (200 miles) from their destination and told them to find their own way home.
The flight was supposed to take off from Ben Gurion airport at 9.30pm on Sunday night but was delayed until after midnight. The passengers were told that the flight had lost its slot at London Gatwick airport and was diverted to Luton airport, north of London. But there was no slot there either and eventually the flight landed in Doncaster in Yorkshire at 3.15am UK time and the passengers were left to make their own way home.
One of the passengers, A, an Israeli living in London traveling with her 15 month old son said, "We got home about nine in the morning because we had the luck to find a taxi. But others were unable to. The airline took no responsibility for us."
The taxi journey took three hours and cost A £450.
Wizz Air Israel declined to comment.
Following reports in the UK media, Wizz Air tweeted that A was invited to send them her expenses along with a complaint and it would be checked out and investigated. "We are sorry for the inconvenience and still hope you will fly with us in the future."
Another passenger on the flight said that those who submitted complaint forms had their complaints rejected on the grounds of force majeure.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 19, 2022.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2022.