Vueling Flight left Gatwick Airport without passengers due to delays

After a two hour delay, the 'empty' flight departed Gatwick, leaving all passengers behind. Photo / 123rf

Passengers booked to fly from Gatwick to Florence were told their plane departed without them due to delays that have hit airports across the UK.

Vueling flight VY6209, which can carry up to 144 passengers, was due to depart at 8.20 pm on Monday.

However, the aircraft left Gatwick airport two hours late but with no customers on board.

The incident is one of many as UK airports struggle with travel demand during the half-term holidays. Passengers have faced cancelled flights, delayed departures and hours in queues due to staff shortages from airlines and airports.

A passenger from the Vueling flight told the PA news agency they queued more than four hours to check their luggage.

Once Nisha Gupta from Windsor reached the departure gate, she was told no passengers could board the flight due to staff shortages.

"Eventually we were told by staff that the pilots made a decision to fly the plane back empty without a single passenger on board due to Florence airspace closing," she said.

"We got to the airport at 3 pm and did not leave until 2 am after having to wait around to give details to the one staff member dealing with all cancelled flights, taking details and trying to book people into hotels."

No food, drinks or meal vouchers were provided to stranded customers. Customer satisfaction aside, Gupta described the environmental impact of the decision as 'insane'.

Gutpa wasn't the only unhappy Vueling passenger in Gatwick. Another reportedly posted a photograph of a large crowd waiting at check-in with the caption: "Vueling you need to get a grip of this absolute chaos at Gatwick.

One member of staff to handle this many people is completely unacceptable. Do you understand the impact this has on people?"

The airline was approached for comment.