Passengers on flight from Spain ‘held against their will’ on return to UK

PASSENGERS flying from Spain’s Costa Blanca were forced to wait for more than 90 minutes in a UK airport lounge because border control officers failed to turn up for work.

Ryanair flight FR2954 pasengers from Alicante to Newquay disembarked the aircraft but were then confined to a lounge and ‘held against their will’ while staff were drafted in from Exeter and Plymouth.

The weary passengers took to social media to vent their frustration.

Matthew Osborne said,”Passengers being held against their will. Unable to leave the airport due to no immigration officers on site.”

Another, Allister Young, posted a video and said, “Well this is a 1st @Newquay_Airport, get home to #cornwall, no @ukhomeoffice staff, confined to lounge while we wait for someone to arrive!”

A spokesperson for Newquay Airport said, “UK Border Force are responsible for securing the UK entry border under the Immigration Act 1971.

“Due to the non-attendance of UK Border Force officials for the inbound flight (FR2954) from Alicante on Sunday 29 October, to comply with the legislation passengers were accommodated in the Airport terminal until officers arrived onsite to process the passengers.

“All passengers were processed within 90 minutes of the flight arriving.

“We are currently investigating why UK Border Force didn’t attend as they would usually do.”

Well this is a 1st @Newquay_Airport, get home to #cornwall, no @ukhomeoffice staff, confined to lounge while we wait for someone to arrive! pic.twitter.com/cwMGfq6bsY

— Allister Young (@AllisterYoung) October 29, 2017