Easyjet passengers spend Christmas at Bristol Airport hotel

PA

Easyjet passengers hoping to enjoy Christmas in Madeira had to settle for a hotel near Bristol Airport instead - after their plane could not land.

The flight took off from Bristol Airport on Christmas Eve bound for Madeira but, after two hours in the air, passengers were told they would be returning to Bristol as Fucnhal Airport had to be closed due to bad weather.

Extremely disappointed travellers then had to spend two nights - and Christmas Day - at the Holiday Inn near Bristol Airport.

One passenger, Katie Curtis, from Plymouth, told the BBC she had been on her way to spend Christmas with her mum, saying: "We had to come back and spend Christmas in the hotel.
"The children were really disappointed, they're only nine and 10 years old. They were very upset on the way home on the plane.

"My Mum in Madeira managed to get a message to Santa so there are presents in Madeira for them and there were presents here for them, too.

"The hotel has been great and we had a nice time here but it wasn't the same as spending Christmas with our parents in Madeira."

Another passenger, Agostinho Mendonca, was heading to see his wife, children, and grandchildren, who were all in Madeira. He said that while Christmas at the hotel was "nice", "some people had their families and children with them but I was just by myself."

A spokesman for Easyjet told the BBC: "The safety and welfare of our crew and passengers is Easyjet's top priority.

"We appreciate that many of those onboard may have been travelling with us to spend the festive period with loved ones."

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