Passengers stranded in airport for 17 hours after couple smoke on London-bound flight

Tourists were left stranded for more than 17 hours after their plane was diverted due to a couple smoking on board.

The London Gatwick Airport-bound flight set off from Cancun, Mexico, on Tuesday (July 8), but within an hour of take-off the pilot warned two passengers who had been caught smoking in the toilets.

The TUI pilot warned the plane would have to divert if the smoking continued – but after another three-and-a-half hours, the plane was diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine, US.

Both alleged smokers were turfed off the flight – but other passengers were left waiting in their seats for another five hours.

Terry Lawrance, 66, was on the plane and said it even taxied to take off before the flight was abandoned due to crew being unable to continue working over their legal working hours.

Describing what happened, Terry said: ‘After an hour the captain came on and said someone had been smoking in the toilet – he read the riot act and said if it continues, we’d have to divert.

‘About three hours later, around the border with Canada and he came on to let us know that the plane was being diverted.

‘Once we landed, they removed the two passengers. They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner.

‘The captain then said we’d be getting going again once the paperwork has been done.

‘We were sat on the plane on the ground for five hours – the plane started taxing again and we thought “great” and then they said there was a problem with flight plan, and we have to get off.

‘Next thing, we’re not going anywhere, and we’ve got to stay in this small lounge.’

A relief flight was readied and dispatched from the UK to the US to fly everyone back to the UK.

But passengers were kept in a room for more than 12 hours while waiting for the relief crew to arrive.

Terry believes they were kept in the military air base section of the airport, with rows of camp beds set up for stranded passengers.

They were unable to leave the airport terminal due to US immigration laws, it is understood.

The relief flight finally took off from Maine at 3pm local time on Wednesday, with all passengers now safely home.

But Terry said the entire situation went ‘pear shaped’ and claimed it took ‘four or five hours’ to be offered a drink.

He explained: ‘We were there for over 12 hours – it all went pear shaped. Everybody was fed up.

‘In fairness, they started bringing out airbeds, but it was like free-for-all for vultures.

‘It was like a warzone in a lounge – rows and rows of beds. All our luggage was still on the plane whilst we waited.’

Metro contacted TUI, who declined to comment.

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