High winds cancel holiday flight to Capital

An easyJet plane. Pic: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Saturday night’s flight from Funchal to Edinburgh was called off due to high winds over the island off the northwest coast of Africa.

And passengers have complained that they have been trapped for several days because the airline will not replace the service.

Patricia Cunningham, 66, a supermarket worker from South Queensferry, is on Madeira with 69-year-old husband Ronald.

She said: “We have been told we can get a flight back to Bristol on Thursday, but that will leave us here for almost a week, and we would then have to get a bus back to Edinburgh.

“If we want to fly direct then we will have to wait until next Saturday to fly into Edinburgh.

“They have put us up in a nice hotel, but I think EasyJet should be doing a bit more to get appropriate flight sorted out for us as soon as possible.”

She added: “There are lots of old people on this flight and they have medication that is running out, so they need to get back home quickly.

“We are looking at having to book separate flights with another company rather than wait for Easyjet to get it sorted out.”

An EasyJet spokeswoman said: “EasyJet can confirm that, due to winds gusting above aircraft limits for the past two days, flights were unable to land in Funchal, Madeira on Friday 5 June and Saturday 6 June.

“The safety of its passengers and crew is the airline’s highest priority. Whilst this is outside of our control we would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of the weather conditions.

“All passengers have been provided with hotel accommodation and meals, in line with EU261 regulations.

“The weather conditions have now improved and so easyJet will fly passengers back from Funchal as soon as possible.

“If no direct flights are scheduled this may mean that passengers will be offered flights on alternative routes ie. via Lisbon or to other UK airports, and will then be provided with onward travel home.”