EasyJet passengers ‘left on tarmac’ as Scottish flight takes off without them

EASYJET passengers requiring special assistance were left “stranded on the tarmac” after a plane bound for Scotland took off without them.

Three travellers, who were due to fly from Belfast to Edinburgh on Friday, told of their horror after the plane doors closed while they were preparing to board.

Liz Weir, from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, was scheduled to appear at a ticketed arts show at Penicuik Community Arts Association but missed it as a result of the incident.

The 73-year-old, who uses wheelchair assistance at airports due to a heart condition, described how she was left “distraught” and “crying”.

To make matters worse, her checked-in luggage was on the departing flight.

She told The Scottish Sun: “I don’t use a wheelchair all the time but I have a heart condition which means I can’t walk too well. So I always get a wheelchair from the terminal out to the plane and back.

“I was pretty swiftly taken by special assistance people to the gate.

“They came, they scanned our boarding passes and they loaded everybody. We had to be wheeled around to the lifts. We got to the tarmac and we saw them taking the steps away.

“We all waved and yelled and the workers seemed to be going to put the steps back and then the message came down from the cabin. And they said that the captain had said no.

“I was distraught and I cried. I was so frustrated, I couldn’t believe it.

“My checked bag was on the plane too.

“If they unload a person, they normally unload the bag. But no, they went off with my bag. It was stressful.”

Liz said attendees at her Midlothian show were “let down” by the incident, while she was left very distressed.

The airline offered her another seat on a flight departing at 8.50pm that night.

She added: “There were people that had turned up to see me at the event and it’s mortifying.

“I just want to know what happened and what went wrong. Surely if your boarding pass has been scanned, they must know how many passengers are going on the flight. To me, that seems sensible.

“I don’t use a wheelchair all the time. I’m lucky enough that I only have to use it sometimes. Can you imagine what it’s like for people who are in a wheelchair all the time?

“Since this happened, I’ve been getting messages on X and Facebook from people who have experienced similar.

“Easyjet say they are investigating the incident.”

A spokesperson for easyJet apologised to affected passengers and said the airline is in contact with passengers.

They said: “We are very sorry that flight EZY55 from Belfast to Edinburgh on 21 June departed without three passengers who were being accompanied by the airport’s special assistance provider.

“This was due to a misunderstanding at the gate by the check-in agent and our ground handling team.

“We did all possible to assist the passengers, arranging for flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh later that evening to get them to their destination as quickly as possible and our team looked after them throughout, providing refreshment vouchers while they waited for their new flight.

“We are sorry for the impact this disruption will have had on their plans and are in contact with them to apologise for their experience, reimburse their flights and any expenses incurred as a result of the delay, and provide the compensation they are due.”

It comes days after TWENTY-SIX passengers were kicked off an easyJet flight after cops were called to deal with “disruptive behaviour”.

The aircraft was due to fly to Faro in Portugal from Glasgow shortly before 4.30pm on Thursday.