Drama as TUI flight from Manchester Airport is hit with massive delays and an emergency landing

Passengers at Manchester Airport have encountered an array of problems at the travel hub in recent weeks - but one group of travellers had a particularly nightmarish experience.

A TUI flight to Turkey encountered massive delays on Friday (24 June) and then had to dramatically return to the airport soon after it finally got airborne due to a smell of smoke.

The plane made an emergency landing and the travellers were sent to hotels. In total it was more than 24 hours before they got away on their holiday.

TUI has apologised for their ordeals.

What happened on the flight?

The flight to Turkey was originally supposed to depart from Manchester at 6.10am on Friday (June 24).

However, there were repeated problems and delays at the travel hub, which has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons since Easter as passengers have faced chaotic scenes in the terminals, long queues and flights leaving late or being cancelled, mostly due to staff shortages.

The TUI flight finally was scheduled to leave at 9pm on Friday, so some 15 hours after its original departure time.

However, passengers reported there was a smell of smoke on board and an hour into the flight they were told the aircraft was returning to Manchester.

It performed an emergency landing with fire crews waiting on hand.

More delays disembarking the aircraft meant passengers did not get to their hotels which the airline provided until the early hours of Saturday morning.

The flight finally headed for Turkey on Saturday afternoon, more than 24 hours after the holidaymakers should have set off.

What has been said about it?

TUI has apologised to the understandably-furious travellers about their negative experience.

The company said there was a technical issue which meant the flight was so delayed and stressed it tries to communicate with customers when there are problems.

It said it recognised that such a disrupted start to a holiday was extremely disappointing and it was sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Manchester Airport said it was not a matter it would comment on and it was for TUI to respond.