Passengers forced to sleep on floor of Lanzarote Airport after Jet2 Manchester flight cancelled
Passengers travelling from Lanzarote to Manchester were left sleeping on the floor of the airport overnight after their flight was cancelled due to bad weather caused by Storm Francis.
The Jet2 flight LS182 was scheduled to depart Lanzarote Airport at 8:15 pm on Saturday, 3rd January. Although the flight was initially delayed by around an hour and passengers boarded as normal, they remained seated on the aircraft for approximately four hours before being told the flight would not take off.
According to passengers, the pilot eventually informed them that worsening weather conditions made departure impossible. Travellers were then returned to the terminal, where the airline attempted to find hotel accommodation. However, only some passengers were able to secure rooms, while others were left to spend the night inside the airport.
Those without accommodation say they had no option but to sleep on the floor, on chairs, or use their suitcases as makeshift beds. One passenger said a Jet2 manager who arrived later “did everything possible” to organise hotel rooms and offered extra assistance to passengers with disabilities.
Despite this, frustration grew among travellers, many of whom complained that they were left without access to food or drink after the airport closed at midnight. This included families travelling with children. Although passengers were given €20 vouchers to spend on food and drink, they say this was of little use as airport cafés and restaurants did not reopen until early the next morning.
“Some people needed medication, and others were crying,” one passenger said. “I slept on the floor, and most people were either on chairs or on the ground. People just wanted information and to know what was happening.”
The flight eventually departed at around midday on Sunday, meaning passengers reached Manchester approximately 16 hours later than planned.
Storm Francis caused widespread disruption to air travel across the Canary Islands that weekend, with strong winds and poor visibility forcing delays and cancellations at several airports.
Now, the Canary Islands are once again under a weather pre-alert for strong winds and changing conditions, which could continue to disrupt flights and travel in the coming days.
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