A 45-year-old British holidaymaker, Mark Jenkins, found himself on the wrong continent after a security error sent him to Turkey instead of his planned vacation in Tunisia. The mix-up at Manchester Airport caused Jenkins to veer 2,000 miles off course due to misdirection by EasyJet staff and a series of unfortunate events.
Jenkins arrived at the airport on November 27, ready for an all-inclusive holiday in Tunisia. However, he was directed to the wrong gate and unknowingly boarded a flight to Antalya. Wearing noise-cancelling headphones, Jenkins missed the announcements, and the empty seat next to him made it harder to notice the mistake. It wasn’t until the captain announced, “Welcome to Antalya,” that Jenkins realized he had arrived in Turkey, not North Africa, after a four-hour flight.
“Stowaway” Situation
Upon landing in Turkey, Jenkins was not allowed to disembark, as he was technically considered a “stowaway.” He was held onboard for 40 minutes at Antalya Airport before being sent back to Manchester. After returning to the UK, EasyJet arranged for Jenkins to stay in a hotel overnight and booked him a new flight to Tunisia the next day. However, Jenkins lost a day and a half of his vacation in the process.
Security Concerns and Compensation
Jenkins expressed frustration, stating that EasyJet offered only £150 in compensation and a £15 meal voucher for his trouble. “How is such a security lapse possible in this day and age?” he questioned, while acknowledging the cabin crew’s efforts to address the situation and their apology afterward.
His brother criticized the incident as a severe security flaw, adding, “Had a terrorist exploited this mistake, the consequences could have been catastrophic.”
EasyJet’s Response
An EasyJet spokesperson admitted the error and confirmed that they are investigating the incident with Manchester Airport and their ground service partners. The company apologized to Jenkins for the inconvenience and provided him with a complimentary flight and hotel stay for his trip to Tunisia. However, no concrete measures to address potential future security breaches were outlined.
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