A DOWNPATRICK grandmother was stranded in London for 48 hours after her EasyJet flight was cancelled due to severe weather.
Kate McKeown (64), who suffers from a blood pressure disorder, had been over visiting her daughter and new baby grandson when she found herself caught up in one of England’s worst weekends for travel disruption in decades.
Kate’s return flight was scheduled to leave Gatwick Airport at 6.10pm on Friday, but was told by EasyJet early that morning her flight would be delayed.
However, as is usual procedure, Kate was advised to check in at her usual time.
Kate said: “6.10pm came and went. I looked at the time again and it was 7pm. Then 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9pm all came and went and I was still stranded.
“I have never seen Gatwick as busy. I had to wait ages in a queue just to buy a cup of coffee. 10pm gave way to 11pm and at 11.05pm we were finally called to the gate only to be told when we got there that our flight had been cancelled.”
At this point Kate was anxious as she was running low on medication.
She said she was disgusted at the lack of information from the airline to its customers.
She said: “EasyJet are a customer service provider and that’s what they should do even if its late on Friday evening and staff are eager to get home.
“Instead, while chaos ensued, I watched the girl at our information desk put on her jacket to go home.
“I checked other flights leaving but Aer Lingus were charging £400 for a return flight. EasyJet would have reimbursed me, but only for the equivalent amount I had paid them.
“They also wouldn’t cover a business class seat with British Airways, so my choices were limited.
“Thankfully, fate intervened and my daughter phoned to tell me I could stay with her as the trains were running again. If I was quick, I might just make the last one leaving at 11.47pm, which I did.”
Luckily, Kate was able to find a chemist who was able to sort her out with medication.
Kate added: “I didn’t hear from EasyJet until Sunday morning when I got a message to say there would be a flight leaving at 4.20pm that afternoon. After lunch I received another message to say that flight had been delayed and I thought oh here we go again.
“Thankfully though, I didn’t face any further delays and I was back in Downpatrick on Sunday evening safe and sound and in no time at all.”
An EasyJet spokesman confirmed the airline had experienced disruption to flights at London Gatwick on Friday due to adverse weather conditions.
He said: “The airlines teams at Gatwick were aware of the specific needs of the passengers and did all they could to help them, including prioritising accommodation and meals for them.
“Passengers were helped by an agent in Gatwick and Sunday’s flight was the earliest with availability.”