TUI passengers offered counselling after they were left fearing they wouldn't see family again after choppy landing

17 March 2023, 09:35 | Updated: 17 March 2023, 10:47

Distraught passengers on a TUI flight to Manchester have been offered counselling after enduring a horrifying attempt to land.

They reportedly screamed and cried as the pilot tried to touch down while the plane was battered by strong winds.

The plane had to be diverted to East Midlands Airport but passengers were only told once they touched down.

As one passenger said he prayed and didn't think he would see his family again, TUI has emailed customers offering free counselling to help with any trauma from the flight on March 9.

"We would like to assure customers that instances of this nature are rare. TUI has offered all those on the plane counselling," the company said.

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"We can confirm that TOM2477 from Tenerife to Manchester Airport on March 9 diverted to East Midlands Airport, due to adverse weather conditions during the approach back to Manchester.

Passenger Gareth Salter said: "People were panicking, babies were screaming, women were crying.

"There were some young girls behind us in floods of tears. I was saying my prayers, to be honest. I didn't think I'd see my family again. It was just awful."

The diversion hampered passengers' return home, with Jane and Kevin Hudson getting stuck in a blizzard as they tried to get their car from Manchester to Scarborough in a 14-hour ordeal.