A married couple faced significant disappointment when their planned holiday to Lanzarote was abruptly cancelled just minutes before their flight was set to take off. Jon (54) and Judi Saunders (55) were at Leeds Airport waiting to board their Jet2holidays flight to Costa Teguise when they received an email notification at 1:55 PM, a mere 35 minutes before departure, informing them that their trip had been cancelled due to severe flooding on the Spanish island.
The announcement came as Lanzarote locals declared a state of emergency in response to the ongoing weather crisis, and the UK Foreign Office issued updated travel advice reflecting the situation. Confronted with this unexpected cancellation, the couple had to wait for their luggage to be offloaded from the aircraft.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Judi expressed her frustration regarding the timing of the cancellation, stating, “I was very upset, really... They cancelled it 35 minutes before we were supposed to get on the flight.” She described the customer service experience as “terrible,” recounting that she had been disconnected three times while attempting to seek further assistance. “I don’t want to hear that Jet2 music ever again," she added, expressing her exasperation with the ongoing issues while in the airport.
Jon noted a mixed experience with customer service, saying a few representatives were helpful, while others did not provide adequate information. The couple remained at the terminal after retrieving their bags, hoping to secure an alternative holiday package, but eventually left after becoming frustrated with the assistance available from Jet2holidays staff.
Judi raised concerns about the timing of the cancellation, questioning why they were not informed earlier, given that the floods had affected the area the previous night. “As soon as we saw the floods on the news, we understood but why do we need to find that out?” she said. With the understanding that they would receive a full refund for their cancelled holiday, they reflected on the lack of effective communication during the ordeal.
In a statement regarding the situation, a Jet2holidays spokesperson acknowledged the adverse weather conditions and the resultant cancellation of certain holidays due to the temporary closing of affected hotels. They expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to Mr and Mrs Saunders, stating, “Unfortunately, this includes Mr and Mrs Saunders’ holiday as, despite our best efforts, we were unable to source an alternative hotel at such incredibly short notice due to a shortage of accommodation.”
Despite the challenges faced, Judi plans to utilise her week off by volunteering at Bradford 2025's cultural initiatives, while Jon will return to work.
Source: Noah Wire Services