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Date Published: 18/10/2024

Brexit bungle: EasyJet passengers 'barred' from Spain and forced to return to UK

The ill-fated Luton flight was diverted from Gibraltar to Malaga due to bad weather

A plane full of British passengers has been left outraged after a flight to Gibraltar was diverted to Malaga due to bad weather, only for travellers to be told they couldn't disembark - all because of Brexit.

The easyJet flight, which was meant to land in Gibraltar on October 14, was forced to make an emergency landing in the Costa del Sol, but that's when the real drama began.

As passengers waited patiently on the tarmac, they were suddenly informed that only those with Spanish residency would be allowed to leave the plane. The reason? Brexit, apparently.

English travellers were left stunned and frustrated, with some even likening the situation to being held hostage.

One disgruntled passenger, Jay Pedersen, described how the ordeal unfolded.

“It was shambolic. They kept telling us buses were coming in "ten minutes" but they never showed,” he said.

“Eventually the cabin crew, who were doing their utmost, announced there would be two groups - those with British passports were to stay onboard and flown back to Luton. It felt like we were being held captive”.

But surprisingly, quite a few Britons close to the front of the plane managed to disembark anyway, including Jay.

“It was akin to a polite British 'mutiny'. Upon reaching passport control our passports were stamped and we were permitted through without any issues whatsoever. I'm astounded at how composed everyone remained.”

easyJet flight EZY8793 bound for the Rock had to make an emergency landing in Malaga after bad weather conditions forced the pilot to pull up just 900 feet from touchdown.

Another passenger, Douglas Atkins, 74, from Solihull, said that several of the travellers who made it onto Spanish soil ended up paying more than 200 euros for taxis to take them on the two-hour trip to Gibraltar.

“No one could understand why we weren't allowed to get off and be taken by buses to Gibraltar,” he said.

In other news: Irish holidaymaker arrested for taking indecent photos of Brit teenager in Spain

Image: Davidi Vardi via Wikimedia Commons

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