An EasyJet passenger plane flying from Paphos, Cyprus to Bristol, UK made an emergency landing in İzmir, Turkey approximately an hour and a half after takeoff due to a smell of smoke on board. Passenger Jamie Shorland described the terrifying moments, saying, “We really thought we were going to die.”
The incident occurred on Saturday night. Shorland, 21, from Exeter, had boarded the plane with a friend after visiting his grandfather, planning to return to Bristol. However, shortly after takeoff, sudden actions by the cabin crew without any explanation caused anxiety and panic among passengers.
“We were over the water, we thought we were going to fall into the sea”
Shorland said the flight was delayed by 30 minutes at the start, and when approaching the Turkish coast, they noticed something unusual. Passengers were not informed as the cabin crew abruptly stopped the food service, followed by an announcement to prepare for an emergency landing.
“We were over the water, we thought we were going to fall into the sea. People were screaming, crying. Even the cabin crew were crying. We really thought it was the end,” he said.
He added the situation became even more frightening when the plane lost altitude by 15,000 feet and swayed side to side.
Tense Wait After Landing in İzmir
After successfully landing at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport, passengers were kept on board for half an hour. During this time, fire and emergency teams surrounded the plane and investigated the source of the smoke smell coming from the cockpit. Initial findings indicated the problem was due to a malfunction in the cooling system.
However, Jamie Shorland and other passengers only received this information about 20 minutes after landing. Passengers remained fearful because of the smoke coming from the cockpit and had to wait on the plane without being evacuated.
Hotel Accommodation and Extended Delay
Following the incident, EasyJet accommodated affected passengers in three different hotels. Shorland said they were told they could use their rooms until 6 PM but were asked to leave earlier.
Passengers endured long hours waiting at the airport due to multiple flight delays, with the new plane finally taking off around 11 PM local time. Jamie Shorland expressed his fear, saying, “I didn’t want to leave İzmir. I thought, maybe this time I won’t make it.”
Sharp Criticism of EasyJet: “They gave a ridiculous response”
Passengers reacted to EasyJet’s inadequate communication during the event. Shorland criticized the pilot for joking after the emergency landing, saying, “Everyone should buy a lottery ticket; we were lucky,” calling it unacceptable.
“They did not help in any way. Clear information was not given to passengers, crisis management was completely insufficient,” he said.
Shorland added that it was his friend’s first time flying, and after this experience, they no longer want to fly.
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