A father expressed anger at easyJet for allegedly abandoning his family after redirecting them to the incorrect country and leaving them to spend the night on a cold, hard airport floor.
Darren Rainey, a 41-year-old groundworker from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, departed Luton Airport for Crete on August 13. However, their flight had to make an emergency landing in Croatia, leading to an unexpected overnight stay.
Rainey claimed that easyJet failed to provide overnight accommodations for his family at Split Airport, leaving them uncertain about the timing of their replacement flight. Consequently, they remained at the airport, with Rainey taking turns with his family to rest.
Despite Rainey’s complaints, easyJet initially declined compensation citing the emergency landing. Only after media intervention did the airline offer a refund for their night in Croatia.
Reflecting on the experience, Rainey criticized the lack of communication during the ordeal and the airline’s failure to fulfill their promise of finding accommodations. He described the challenges of finding food and the discomfort his family faced while spending the night at the airport.
The family’s replacement flight to Crete departed Croatia the next day, causing them to lose almost a full day of their holiday. Rainey expressed disappointment and frustration at easyJet’s handling of the situation, stating that it negatively impacted the beginning of their vacation.
Furthermore, despite Rainey’s wife lodging a complaint with easyJet, the airline reportedly refused to provide compensation, citing the emergency landing as the reason. Rainey emphasized that they deserved better treatment and compensation for the ordeal they endured.
An easyJet holidays spokesperson acknowledged the family’s experience, attributing the diversion to a crew member’s medical emergency. The spokesperson explained that due to limited availability, the airline struggled to secure accommodations but offered to reimburse customers who made their own arrangements.
The airline expressed regret over the incident and assured that they were in contact with Rainey to apologize, refund the lost night, and extend a goodwill gesture to rectify the situation.