'We had a nightmare TUI ordeal... and all we got was a tub of juice and a pain au chocolat'

A holidaymaker on a delayed TUI flight subsequently forced into an emergency landing has told of the 'nightmare' passengers endured after the plane was then damaged with a cherry picker.

The Manchester Evening News reported the plight of passengers on board flight TOM193 from Cancun in Mexico into Manchester Airport last Monday - initially delayed by four hours due to a medical emergency on the incoming service. The flight eventually took off, but a second medical emergency involving a passenger being taken ill on board forced the plane into an emergency landing after just an hour in the sky.

The flight landed at Charleston, in South Carolina, and firefighters arrived to rescue the sick passenger. But the ordeal took another unexpected twist when a 'cherry picker' used for emergency services to access the plane damaged the aircraft door, meaning the flight was unable to resume.

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Now more passengers have come forward to tell what happened. Sandra Evans, 58, from Newtown, Wales, said it had been a 'nightmare' and that she still doesn't fell well. TUI, meanwhile, has apologised and said the returning holidaymakers 'have been informed of how to claim for expenses occurred during the delay'.

Sandra said they all had to apply for visas using their mobile phones as they were in the US coming in from Mexico. And she claimed the man fell ill after a meal on board, saying they were left in 'stifling conditions' with only 'juice and a pain au chocolat'.

"There was an emergency on the flight before us," she said. "They had to move the flight times back because there was not enough oxygen on the plane, and they had run out of flight hours.

"We got to the airport at two, our flight was supposed to be at 6pm, but it was 10pm before we boarded the plane. We had been on the plane for about an hour and then we could see the young man who had gotten poorly. There were two people in between us. We could see something happening.

"We were told there was going to be an emergency landing and everybody had to put their trays down. There were many next to him trying to help. We made the emergency landing.

"They got the young man out and then we didn't move, and me and my friend were thinking 'well we're going to get going in a minute', but they kept saying 'keep the alleyways vacant, don't queue for the toilet, remain in your seats'.

"It was starting to get quite stifling on the plane. All we got was a tub of juice and a pain au chocolat. We were then told we had to apply for an ESTA [visa waiver] on the app. Me and my friend didn't have any internet, we had to buy data and then everybody was trying to get online and it kept crashing. I ended up running out of £15 worth of data straight away.

"We were let off the plane after we'd filled in the application. Nobody came and helped us. We were then given a slip by someone in Charlestown to stay at a hotel and told to keep our receipts. We got there and there were no vacancies.

"We were taken to three different hotels to find us a room. They then said we had to pay. I broke down at that point as other people were told they had vouchers. We were so tired. We hadn’t eaten since 10am the previous day and we were shattered. As we were leaving we ran into the young man who was ill.

"I've put in a claim for the delay, I've not had any response." The flight finally left Charleston at 5.35pm local time on Wednesday - a delay of around two days.

"I still don't feel very well. It's been a nightmare," said Sandra. "The waiting around on the plane, the airport. The people right at the front knew the door was damaged, we were at the back and nobody said a word. I've had two emails from TUI who said we were going to get £200 and sorry for the inconvenience. And another email stating an itinerary of why they ran out of flight time for the crew, that's why they couldn't take off.

"TUI bent over backwards for the young man. And staff in the hotel were fantastic, they couldn't do enough for us once they learnt our situation. The holiday, you couldn't fault it, it was magical. I'm still waiting for a reply from them."

The flight landed in Manchester at 5.15am on Thursday. A TUI spokesperson told the M.E.N: "We would like to apologise to customers impacted by the medical diversion between Cancun and Manchester on flight TOM193. Unfortunately during the disembarkation of the unwell passenger, the aircraft was damaged, so our customers and crew remained in Charleston until it was safe for everyone to return.

"We do understand how frustrating it must be for customers when a delay of this nature takes place, but we supported our customers throughout the delay. Customers have been informed of how to claim for expenses occurred during the delay and are eligible also to claim EU261 compensation."