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Dundee-bound plane passengers ‘abandoned’ in Aberdeen after last-minute diversion from London

The Loganair flight bound for Dundee was redirected to Aberdeen. Image: Loganair
The Loganair flight bound for Dundee was redirected to Aberdeen. Image: Loganair

Airline operator Loganair has been accused of “abandoning” dozens of passengers in Aberdeen after a flight to Dundee was suddenly diverted.

Around 50 passengers flying from London City Airport were due to arrive in Dundee shortly before 11pm on Tuesday.

However they were informed just minutes before landing the flight was being diverted 58 miles away to Aberdeen due to freezing fog.

After arriving in Aberdeen, disgruntled passengers say they were left “in limbo” for over two hours in the airport, which they say was “effectively closed”.

Flight unable to land in Dundee

Loganair has apologised for poor communication but says taxis were offered to take passengers to Dundee, while hotel rooms were provided for those who did not want to travel in the middle of the night.

One passenger Kate Holy from Kingsbarns in Fife, says she was not offered a taxi and did not board a bus back to Dundee until 10.30am on Wednesday.

The flight was due to land at Dundee Airport. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

She told The Courier procedures to deal with the redirected flight were “non-existent” and branded Loganair’s handling of the situation “a shambles”.

London to Dundee flight redirected to Aberdeen minutes before landing

She said: “We were only informed we were being redirected to Aberdeen minutes before we were due to land in Dundee.

“The pilot told passengers he was unable to land at Dundee due to freezing fog.

“We arrived at Aberdeen to an airport that was effectively closed and with no Loganair staff on hand to deal with a plane load of re-directed passengers.

“People can accept that planes get diverted for all sorts of reasons – it’s that there was  absolutely no strategy in place to deal with exhausted passengers.

“At no point was there any clear information given of what we were to do next and no one was prepared to tell the passengers truthfully what was happening.

“Particularly frustrating was the fact that at no point was there anyone from Loganair on hand to deal with the problem.

“People were left in limbo for hours and felt abandoned.

“It was an utter shambles.”

Passengers say they were “abandoned” at Aberdeen Airport. Image: DC Thomson

Fellow passenger, businesswoman Stacey Widlitz said she eventually found a taxi willing to take her and three others to Dundee, two hours after they landed.

She said: “There was no Loganiar staff at the airport to deal with a plane load of passengers and no plan whatsoever to deal with the situation.

“I saw a woman with a young baby very upset at the possibility of being stuck at the airport while a number of elderly passengers were also distressed by it all.

“Eventually a coach was arranged to take us back to Dundee but before it arrived airport staff informed us that it had to be used elsewhere.

“It was about 2am before passengers were finally offered hotel to stay in.

“I eventually managed to find one four-seater taxi at the airport which agreed to take myself and others back to Dundee.

“It’s wholly unacceptable from Loganair and it’s as if they really didn’t care.

“I’ve not even had any response to my attempts to contact them.”

 

A spokesperson for Loganair said: “Weather related disruption earlier in the day introduced delays which meant we could not land in Dundee before the airport closed.

“Taxis were secured to transfer affected passengers to Dundee and overnight accommodation was offered to those who didn’t wish to travel late at night.

“However, we recognise communication with customers was not as expected amid the fast changing and difficult circumstances and we offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.”

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