BBC Local News in the North-West of England just reporting a planeload of passengers who turned up for their departure from Manchester to Corfu at 9am Monday August 1st, are instead still stuck in Manchester, where they will have spent 40 hours waiting board that flight to Corfu run by a Lithuanian airline Small Planet Airlines, who apparently, unbelievably, sent the incorrect spare part for a incorrect aircraft, i.e. Airbus A320-200. There are holidaymakers also stuck in Corfu waiting to return to Manchester.

 

One passenger who took a week's leave has already lost two days stuck in Manchester.

But I'll bet the tickets were a bargain.

Sounds like my experience with Wow Airlines.

Etihad flight delayed 18 hours at Edinburgh due to carrying the wrong size towbar

This was not too bad a story, a few years ago, I was to leave Las Vegas for Newark around 9 a.m.  Something with the exit door, so the part was sent from houston, around 11 a.m. they realized it was the wrong part, so had to try again.  I think we finally left about 4 p.m.  We got like a $7 meal voucher and a $250 credit.

 

Around 1983, I was flying LFPG  to jFK on TWA 747.  We took off, after about 5 minutes, the pilot came on and said the landing gear would not retract and we cannot get across the Atlantic with it hanging out, so we circled back and landed.  Supposedly it was fixed, so we took off, 5 minutes later again another announcement that the gear won't come up.  Something was fixed again and so we took off, 5 minutes later once again no good.  when we landed everyone had to get off the plane as they said they were going to replace the 300 pound arm that lifts the gear up.  About five hours later, we took off and 5 minutes into the flight the gear came up.  Everyone had a huge sigh of relief.  

I remember well a Mexicana flight from Los Angeles, California, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, back in 1976. As were moving on the tarmac toward the runway the nose of the aircraft suddenly dropped about three feet. The Captain came on, said we had a nose gear problem (duh), and that we'd be returning to the maintenance area.

 

Six hours later, after some repair work had been done by the guys from United (maintenance contract), we reboarded the aircraft and were soon airborne on our way to Cabo. After about 10 minutes in the air the Captain came on again and said "Welcome to Mexicana Flight Whatever. We're now on our way and the landing gear problem has been fixed. We think. We'll know for sure when we land." Drinks were free.....

 

Doug

Manchester Airport stating that this has been the longest delay passengers have endured at its airport.

Ha! 

 

Every time I land in JFK (or Miami now...) I see some new no-name airline I've never heard of... Then, they appear in stories like these. 

But Greece-based Olympic Holidays, the tour operator running these package deals, have been in the business for years. Maybe they made the wrong choice choosing the airline?

We're now on our way and the landing gear problem has been fixed. We think. We'll know for sure when we land." Drinks were free.....

 

Doug

Well Doug, at least the pilot had a slightly wicked sense of humor!

But the problem is Fr. Bill.....to this day I don't know if he was kidding :smile: .

But the problem is Fr. Bill.....to this day I don't know if he was kidding :smile: .

But hope you took advantage of that 'free drink' at least!

Indeed I did...several times... :smile: