Holidaymakers trying to get back to the UK have been told they may not get a flight until October 8 after their plane hit a flock of birds and caught fire as it tried to take off. The passengers have been put up in a hotel in Romania
Steve Fludder, 39, and partner Emma Bradley, 39 were among those returning to the UK from Bulgaria on the WizzAir flight from Varna in Bulgaria on Tuesday.
Steve, who booked with Love Holidays, says the plane and 150 passengers barely made it off the ground when disaster struck, reports LancsLive. He said: "We we're about to take off, the plane nose had just lifted up a little bit and then it hits a flock of birds, not one bird, a big flock of birds and the engine burst into flames.
"There were flames coming off the back of the engine and then the brakes hit like there was no tomorrow so it was like the biggest whiplash jolt ever. It was crazy."
Passengers were asked to get off the aircraft with an updated departure time of 10.30am. But at 10.25am they were reportedly told that the flight was cancelled. A 12.30pm Steve says he was told by WizzAir operatives that the best they could offer was a flight to Liverpool on October 8.
Another two hours later, a taxi arrived to take Steve and Emma as well as two other couples to a Bucharest hotel in neighbouring Romania; four hours away from the airport. When they arrived, Steve says they were told by hotel management that there were no rooms available for them.
"It was only after around 11.30pm, after they watched our group crying for an hour, that the lovely manager of the hotel found us an out of service room. It wasn't used, it wasn't a nice room," he said.
"But they still gave us that room and they gave us some food, some leftovers from the restaurant so we had some cold food. The night in the hotel room was horrible, I lay on the floor. I'm a big guy, I'm not really built for laying on the ground with a towel for a pillow."
Steve, Emma and four other passengers shared the small, out of service room for the night and may have to until they can get another flight home with WizzAir.
The bathroom in the hotel which all six of the passengers had to share (Steve Fludder)
Steve has contacted WizzAir from the hotel. He said: "I told them they need to help us and she's like 'no, no, I can't help I can only do reservations'. This is the emergency contact number for WizzAir what do we do.
"WizzAir should have provided the hotel with food, that's what they're supposed to do, that's the airline, passenger duty of care. We're not asking for the world, we didn't ask to be stranded.
"My partner's mental health has absolutely crumpled, this is what we came out for, we come on holiday to get a break. You can just see she's someone who is just worn out by anxiety, I just want to hug her and everything but what can you do - this has ruined the whole experience really."
Steve says he doesn't know for sure when he will get home but claims he has been told there could be an opportunity to get his party on a plane to Liverpool on Thursday. LancsLive contacted WizzAir for a comment.
A spokesperson for loveholidays said: “We are sorry to hear of Mr Fludder’s experience after WizzAir cancelled his flight at short notice. We are in regular contact with Mr Fludder and are on hand to speak further to his airline, as required, to ensure his situation is resolved as quickly as possible.”
