The easyJet flight from Cyprus to Bristol was forced to land in Turkey due to the smell of smoke on the aircraft, with one passenger revealing the ‘mayhem’ it caused on board
A passenger on an easyJet flight, which was forced to make an emergency landing due to the smell of smoke, has recounted his harrowing ordeal, revealing that he and his fellow travellers “thought that they were going to die.”
The easyJet service, flying from Paphos, Cyprus, to Bristol Airport on Saturday (June 14), had to make an unscheduled descent into Izmir, Turkey, just an hour and 20 minutes after takeoff.
Jamie Shorland, returning from a trip to see his grandfather in Cyprus with a friend, was aboard when the smoke alarms went off. He described how the crew’s lack of communication likely added to the ensuing chaos.
The 21-year-old Exeter resident detailed that the plane, already behind schedule by half an hour, finally left the ground at 10:30 p.m. It was while soaring over the Turkish coast that Jamie sensed trouble brewing. Jamie said: “The air cabin crew were told to put away the catering trolleys, whilst we were told no information at all, then we were told to brace for an emergency landing.”
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He continued: “We were above the water so we thought we’d crash into the sea, there was pure panic and none of the crew were helpful. I thought to myself ‘this is how it ends’, people were screaming ‘we are going to die!'”.
“One father rushed up the plane to hug his kids and the airline staff told him to go back to his seat. He told them to ‘f**k off, if I am going to die I am going to be with my kids.'”
Speaking to BristolLive, Jamie described the terrifying moment their aircraft suddenly veered off course, executing a gut-wrenching 180-degree turn towards Turkey, with passengers experiencing the sensation of the plane flying sideways before it dramatically dropped 15,000ft.
“I saw cabin crew crying at the back of the plane thinking they were going to die, however the plane flew into Izmir and landed at the airport,” Jamie said. “It was a traumatic experience, I genuinely thought I was going to die. I was trying to think happy thoughts of my family as we fell through the sky.”
He recounted the disorder that ensued: “It was a load of mayhem, the plane had no lights and it was a scary time.”
Passengers made to wait half an hour as firefighters stormed plane
Further tension followed after the emergency landing as passengers were made to wait onboard for half an hour amidst confusion, while firefighters swarmed the aircraft.
In the midst of uncertainty after landing, Jamie watched as emergency crews accompanied the plane until it came to a full stop, resulting in firefighters storming the laneway.
Passengers remained in limbo, confined within the aircraft without sufficient information. After a tense 20 minutes, they gradually learned that the ordeal might be linked to a fault with the cooling system.
Following the incident, EasyJet confirmed that accommodations were arranged for all affected travellers, spreading them across three hotels. Jamie was briefed on the arrangements, being told he could remain at the hotel until 6pm on Sunday in anticipation of the rescheduled 10pm flight.
Jamie recounted the mayhem that ensued at their hotel, with all guests being asked to leave suddenly at noon, resulting in a prolonged wait at the airport for a flight that was further delayed until 11pm.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Jamie expressed his apprehension about flying again: “I did not want to leave Izmir, I thought ‘I might not make it’.”
Airline criticised over lack of response
EasyJet was heavily criticised for their poor communication during the disruption.
Jamie reported difficulty in getting information from easyJet, saying the airline wasn’t helpful: “They’ve been no help at all, the pilot [of the initial flight] even made a joke after landing telling everyone to buy a lottery ticket because ‘we got lucky’, I couldn’t believe it.”
After the delayed take-off, the flight landed at Bristol Airport at 12.30am on Monday, with Jamie arriving in Exeter just before 3am.
He described the ordeal’s impact on his companion, stating: “It was my friend’s first time flying in 12 years. We will never get on a plane again, I’ve never been so scared of flying, it was the worst experience of my life.”
EasyJet released an official statement on Saturday, June 15: “We can confirm that flight EZY2902 from Paphos to Bristol diverted to Izmir due to a technical issue which resulted in a smoke smell onboard.
“The aircraft landed safely in Izmir and was met by emergency services as a routine and precautionary measure only.
“All passengers disembarked as normal into the terminal and were provided with hotel accommodation and meals where required. Passengers will continue to Bristol on a replacement aircraft later today.”
The carrier emphasised its commitment to safety: “The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.
“We would like to thank customers for their understanding and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”