Holidaymakers delayed overnight in Cyprus have been accommodated in a five-star hotel with king-size beds and hot tubs, claiming to ‘take the hard with the soft’ after being forced to extend their stay. Passengers due to travel on a TUI service from Paphos to Bristol appreciated the five-star venue as they waited to return home, joking that they wanted to stay in the station.

However, it was not such a pleasant experience for travelers heading to the vacation islands for the start of their much-needed break. Devon Live reported how the flight was canceled on Saturday June 18, finally taking TUI customers to Paphos on Sunday at 9am, landing at 2pm with the plane making a quick return to Bristol around 4.30pm.

The passengers from Bristol have been placed in a hotel for the night in Cardiff, with an anonymous passenger complaining that she arrived at the airport at 10am with her family for her scheduled 1.35pm flight. The flight was then rescheduled to 2:36 p.m., then 3 p.m., then moved again to 4:20 p.m., before being rescheduled the following day.

TUI explained, in a text message to passengers, that the flight had been interrupted “due to an operational disruption”. He added: “Hotel accommodation and transportation are currently purchased from our ground handling agents.”

But in Paphos, passengers were taken to the five-star Azia Resort and given full board status, including meals and soft drinks. Some passengers said their new hotel rooms for the evening included hot tubs and king-size beds.

Jonathan Kesselman, who was part of a wedding party returning home to Tiverton, Devon, said: ‘It was a little worried when we first found out but when we found out we were staying in a five star hotel, it was quite nice.

“We were taken care of very quickly by TUI and found out exactly what was going on as soon as we arrived at the airport. We got off the coach and arrived in a very pleasant setting at our hotel, with delicious food and a great swimming pool and were able to enjoy another day of sunshine in Cyprus. We also got to enjoy a magic show that night. What more could one ask for?

“I’m glad it’s not me who’s stuck at the other end. This is a selfish point of view, as it was a great extension of our vacation. I could have easily stayed a few more days as I had enough pants.

“None of us were looking for the extra compensation, we didn’t need it, but it will help pay for my next cruise in October.

“It was out of TUI’s control, things happen, and you have to take the hard with the soft. We’re lucky to have the good ones, those at Bristol have the hard ones, so it’s all swings and the roundabouts.

Tom Lindus, another member of the wedding party, added: “I wasn’t so worried about being stuck in Cyprus because I was enjoying the sun. I was quite happy to be moved to a five star hotel, I don’t know for everyone, even if it meant I had to spend extra money to buy the beer.

“These things happen, but I think TUI looked after us well, and now I can’t wait to get the compensation. It’s lucky it’s the other way around for us and we’re stuck in Paphos rather than the other way around because I would have been furious, but we turned out to be the lucky ones.Karma will probably catch up with us and the next time we get on the plane, we’ll probably be sent home.

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