LUTON- A British passenger has accused easyJet (U2) of poor communication after a flight from Heraklion (HER) to Manchester (MAN) was diverted to Milan (MXP), leaving her stranded for more than 13 hours and forced to sleep on an airport floor.
The disruption affected travellers on flight EZY2058 on 12 May, after the aircraft was rerouted to Milan Malpensa (MXP) following a medical situation involving the First Officer.
easyJet confirmed it arranged accommodation and meals, though several passengers said they were left without clear direction throughout the ordeal.
easyJet Emergency Diversion
Maddison Watson, a 24-year-old digital marketing worker, boarded the easyJet flight from Greece to Manchester on 12 May.
Mid-flight, the pilot announced that the journey home had been scrapped, and cabin crew told passengers the aircraft needed to make an emergency landing.
Watson said the crew initially assured travellers that hotel accommodation had already been arranged. Despite this, she and dozens of other British passengers remained stuck inside the airport for more than 13 hours.
Speaking to NeedToKnow, Watson described the experience as stressful, exhausting, and frustrating.
She said communication was extremely poor, and many passengers were left confused without clear information about what would happen next. Passengers were largely left to figure things out themselves, with no water and no food provided.
Watson explained that travellers were first told they would resume their journey home directly from Milan.
After the aircraft landed, the situation changed entirely. Baggage was removed, and staff informed passengers they would instead fly home the following day.
She said the group expected to land in Manchester but instead woke up in a different country with no clear plan in place, which was especially upsetting after the stress of an emergency landing.
Watson said she slept on the Milan airport floor and managed only around 90 minutes of rest before being woken.
She said Italian police moved passengers’ suitcases and stopped them from resting because the situation did not look presentable.
She claimed easyJet told passengers that if they made their own travel arrangements, they would not receive further assistance or reimbursement.
As reported by the Daily Star, Watson said she was not alone, and that many other passengers faced the same situation, equally frustrated and confused.
Financial and Personal Impact on Travellers
The extended delay created a series of costly problems for passengers who missed work and personal commitments.
Watson said she missed several appointments because of the diversion and overnight delay, and had to pay for them in full once she returned to the United Kingdom.
She added that the disruption caused significant emotional stress and uncertainty. She also ran out of medication, as she had not planned to be away for an additional day.
Criticism of easyJet Communication
Watson criticised the airline for what she described as poor communication, alleging that passengers were kept in the dark throughout the ordeal.
She said responses were slow and unclear when travellers tried to contact easyJet, and that passengers struggled to get consistent answers about flights, accommodation, and next steps.
She directed her frustration at the airline’s wider responsibility, stating that a global airline should not make commitments it does not follow through on.
easyJet Response
An easyJet spokesperson confirmed that flight EZY2058 from Heraklion to Manchester on 12 May diverted to Milan Malpensa because the First Officer required medical assistance.
The Captain performed a routine landing in line with standard operating procedures, and the aircraft was met by medical services. The flight was rescheduled to operate the following morning.
The airline stated that the safety and well-being of customers and crew is always its highest priority, and that it did everything possible to minimise the impact of the disruption.
easyJet said it provided hotel accommodation and meals where available, and advised that anyone who booked their own arrangements would be reimbursed.
The airline added that it had written to all affected customers directly to apologise for the experience and to offer assistance with reimbursing any expenses.
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