Qantas issues apology to passengers forced to sleep inside Geraldton Airport

More Qantas customers have been left fuming with the airline’s ‘un-Australian’ customer service after passengers were left to sleep on a freezing airport floor.

Passengers aboard two Qantas flights from Broome and Newman in WA heading for Perth were unexpectedly diverted to Geraldton Airport, 410km north of Perth, on Tuesday night. 

The passengers said they were forced to sleep in the dark and freezing airport with little communication from Qantas while wearing clothes meant for warm weather. 

Kim, who was on board one of the flights, said passengers were not informed they would be sleeping at the airport until 2am.

She also claimed the airline made no effort, or communicated with passengers about finding last-minute accommodation for the stranded travellers. 

‘They didn’t tell us what was going on,’ Kim told Perth radio station 6PR.

Passengers from two Qantas flights on Tuesday night were reportedly only told at 2am they would be spending the night at Geraldton Airport (above)

‘They just left us in Geraldton Airport and said ‘we’ve done our hours for the day, we’re not going anywhere’.’

Another infuriated customer, Angela Hall, called out the airline in a Facebook post.

‘Qantas, you are so un Australian!,’ she said.

‘The pilot and crew headed off to a hotel. Leaving all their passengers, including elderly, mine workers and children to sit in the airport overnight with no food, water or care.

Passengers from two flights destined for Perth were forced to spend the night sleeping on Geraldton Airport’s chairs and floors (above)

‘Qantas, you should be ashamed.’

A statement from Qantas said the flights were diverted due to fog but reassured customers the passengers would be flying to Perth Wednesday morning.

‘A number of flights were diverted away from Perth overnight due to fog around the airport making it unsafe to land,’ the statement reads.

‘The crew on two flights that had diverted to Geraldton were unable to continue to Perth due to reaching the limit on the hours they can work.

Qantas said Tuesday’s flights were diverted due to fog but reassured customers the passengers would be flying to Perth Wednesday morning

‘We attempted to find last minute accommodation for all customers of these flights but unfortunately due to a shortage of available hotel rooms, customers stayed in the airport terminal overnight.

‘We apologise to these customers and we thank them for their understanding. We know this would have been an uncomfortable night but the conditions were not safe to land in Perth and our crew couldn’t safely continue once the fog had lifted.’

Meanwhile, Qantas customers in Sydney were left fuming after 13 flights were cancelled with Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David admitting to 2GB host Ben Fordham ‘over the last few months, we haven’t been delivering’.

‘Our flight cancellation rate is now back to close to where it was pre-Covid. Our mishandled bags is almost where it was pre-Covid as well,’ Mr David said.