Hen party is forced to pay £6,000 for new flights when their easyJet flight is cancelled

A hen party was forced to fork out £6,000 for new flights after their easyJet flight was cancelled. 

Abi Parker, from Newport in Wales, and 19 of her friends – including the future bride – were supposed to fly to Malaga from Bristol Airport on May 31.

But the 32-year-old said the group were devastated when the budget airline cancelled their flight without warning when they were in the departure lounge ready to take off.

Moments later, an easyJet attendant told the hen party ‘I hope you’ve got your coats because it’s raining outside,’ she added.   

A hen party was forced to fork out £6,000 for new flights after their easyJet flight was cancelled. Pictured, two of the group of hens at the airport after their flight was cancelled

‘We were waiting in the departure lounge and the flight had already been delayed for 40 minutes,’ Ms Parker said. 

‘We were then told over the tannoy that the flight had been cancelled. We were escorted out of the departure lounge by the police.

‘There were only two members of staff dealing with everybody from the flight. There were children on the floor crying, we didn’t know what to do.’

Ms Parker said two of her friends went down to the customer service desk and found out that the cancellation was because easyJet staff had worked too long.  

‘They had been working for 11 hours and couldn’t work any longer,’ she said. 

‘But we booked in September, they should have been prepared.’

The hen party (pictured) eventually made it to Spain after forking out £6,000 for new flights

The hen party (pictured) eventually made it to Spain after forking out £6,000 for new flights

Ms Parker said the group felt like ‘criminals’ as police escorted them and other passengers out of the departures lounge.

She said she and her friends were disappointed with the lack of support offered by the flight company.

However, a spokeswoman for easyJet said if police escorted passengers away from the lounge, the decision would have been made by the airport or the police force – not easyJet.

‘They told us there were no flights for the next week,’ added Ms Parker.

‘The bride thought the hen do was going to be cancelled. One of the members of staff even turned around and said ‘I hope you’ve got your coats because it’s raining outside’. 

The group were devastated when the budget airline cancelled their flight without warning when they were in the departure lounge ready to take off

The group were devastated when the budget airline cancelled their flight without warning when they were in the departure lounge ready to take off

‘That isn’t what people want to hear when their flight has just been cancelled.

‘We were basically told to leave the departure lounge, get our suitcases and leave the airport.’

She added: ‘In the end, we managed to get new flights through our travel agent but we had to pay £6,000 for the new flights. 

‘Half of the group had to fly from Stansted and the others from Birmingham and we had to split it onto two credit cards.

‘EasyJet wouldn’t even pay for us to the use computers to search for new flights, we had to keep putting a pound in just to use it.

‘We had to sleep in the airport until the next day when we were able to travel. We were devastated thinking the holiday was cancelled.’

Meanwhile, a Welsh passenger who left his car with a parking firm at Bristol Airport found it in random field 11 miles away. 

He was one of several passengers stranded at the airport after a parking company failed to return their cars.

EasyJet confirmed it will reimburse Ms Parker and her friends the money they spent booking alternative flights and the party made it to sunny Marbella the following day.

‘It didn’t ruin our holiday, but it definitely put a damper on it,’ added Ms Parker. ‘I definitely wouldn’t fly with easyJet again.’

A spokeswoman for easyJet said: ‘EasyJet is sorry that Ms Parker’s flight from Bristol to Malaga on Thursday 31st May was cancelled due to a crew welfare issue.

‘EasyJet did everything possible to minimise the disruption for our passengers and contacted passengers via email – including the lead passenger in Ms Parker’s group – providing advice on how to transfer their flight or receive a refund, as well as instructions on how to book hotel accommodation.

‘EasyJet has been in touch with Ms Parker to apologise for any inconvenience caused and to arrange for her party’s expenses to be reimbursed.

‘The safety of our passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority.’ 



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