More than thirty passengers bound for Alicante, Spain, were left behind at Manchester Airport after their Jet2 flight departed without them on Monday, January 10. According to reporting in The Independent, travelers had passed through the departure gate, had their boarding passes scanned, and walked toward what they believed was the boarding route to the aircraft before taking a wrong turn down a set of steps that led to a dead-end space instead of onto the jet bridge.
The group waited there for up to forty minutes without being redirected or informed that the plane was preparing to depart. When an airport worker eventually reached the group, they were told the aircraft, operating as flight LS879, had already taken off for Alicante with their seats unfilled. The Independent reports that the airline is investigating the incident alongside Manchester Airport officials and that alternative flights have been arranged for the affected passengers.
What Unfolded At The Gate, According To Passengers
Passengers said they were directed to follow other travelers after their boarding passes were scanned at the departure gate at Manchester Airport, but instead of reaching the aircraft, they ended up descending steps that were not part of the correct boarding path. Those left behind said there was no clear indication that they were off course and no staff available nearby to guide them back.
One passenger, identified only as Matt from Denton, described waiting with his son and other travelers in the mistaken location for an extended period before realizing something was wrong. Matt told the Manchester Evening News that the group expected a bus or staff member to open a door and move them toward the plane, and that they were “gobsmacked” when they were eventually told the flight had already left. The aircraft departed at around the scheduled time of approximately seven in the morning, leaving the waiting passengers behind.
Jet2 Acknowledges Error And Works To Resolve The Situation
Jet2 issued an apology following the incident and acknowledged that flight LS879 departed Manchester for Alicante without some customers on board. A spokesperson for the airline said it was treating the situation “as a matter of urgency” and was working with Manchester Airport to understand what went wrong. The airline confirmed that its team had arranged for the affected passengers to travel to Alicante on alternative flights later that day.
