Holidaymakers delayed overnight in Cyprus were housed in a five star hotel complete with king-size beds and hot tubs claiming you have to ‘take the rough with the smooth’ after being forced to extend their stay. Passengers scheduled to travel on a TUI service from Paphos to Bristol enjoyed the five-star venue as they waited to return home with some joking they wanted to remain in the resort.
However, it was not such a pleasant experience for travellers heading out to the holiday islands for the start of their much-needed break. Devon Live reported how the flight was cancelled on Saturday, June 18, eventually taking TUI customers to Paphos on 9am on Sunday, landing at 2pm with the plane making a quick return to Bristol at around 4.30pm.
Passengers on the route from from Bristol were put in a hotel overnight in Cardiff, with one anonymous passenger complaining she arrived at the airport at 10am with her family for her flight scheduled at 1.35pm. The flight was then delayed till 2.36pm, then 3pm, then again moved to 4.20pm, before being rescheduled the following day.
TUI explained, in a text message to passengers that the flight was halted “due to operational disruption”. It added: “Hotel accommodation and transport is currently being sourced with our ground handling agents.”
But in Paphos, passengers were taken to the five-star Azia Resort and treated to full board status, including meals and soft drinks. Some passengers said their new hotel rooms for the evening included a hot tub and king size beds.
Jonathan Kesselman who was part of a wedding party travelling home to Tiverton, Devon, said: “It was a bit of a worry when we first found out, but when we found out we were staying in a five star hotel, it was quite pleasing.
“We were looked after very quickly by TUI and we found out exactly what was happening as soon as we got to the airport. We got off the coach and arrived to very pleasant surroundings at our hotel, with lovely food and a great swimming pool and was able to enjoy another day of sunshine in Cyprus. We also got to enjoy a magic show that evening. What more could one want?
“I am glad it wasn’t me stuck on the other end. It’s a selfish point of view, as it was a great extension to our holiday. I could have easily stayed for another couple of days as I had enough pants.
“None of us were looking out for the extra compensation, we didn’t need it, but it will help pay towards my next cruise in October.
“It was out of the control of TUI, things do happen, and you must take the rough with the smooth. We are lucky to have got the smooth, those back in Bristol got the rough, so it’s all swings and roundabouts.”
Tom Lindus, another member of the wedding party, added: “I wasn’t that fussed about being stuck in Cyprus because I was enjoying the sunshine. I was quite happy about being moved to a five star hotel, I don’t know about everyone else, although it did mean I had to spend extra money on buying the beer.
“These things happen, but I think TUI looked after us well, and now I’m looking forward to getting the compensation. It is lucky that it is the other way around for us and that we were stranded in Paphos rather than the other way around as I would have been fuming, but we just turned out to be the lucky ones. Karma will probably catch up with us and the next time we fly out will probably get sent back home.”
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