British family says easyJet left them sleeping on an airport floor after diverted flight

A British family says they were left sleeping on an airport floor after their easyJet flight from Luton to Crete was diverted to Split, Croatia, due to a crew member falling ill.

The incident occurred on August 13, when Darren Rainey, his wife Stephanie, and their three teenage children were aboard the budget carrier’s service bound for Crete. The flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Split so a replacement crew could be found. Passengers were told to stay aboard the aircraft while the airline searched for a new crew member, according to Rainey.

After about 90 minutes, Rainey said the crew announced that everyone would have to disembark because no replacement crew could be found that evening. The family then went through passport control and were directed to meet staff in the airport. Rainey said easyJet had initially promised to provide accommodation but that, after another hour of waiting, passengers were told they would have to make their own arrangements and cover the costs.

There were few food options available in Split’s airport at the time, Rainey added, and shops were closed. He said his family could not afford two hotel rooms, leaving them with little option but to sleep on the terminal floor, which he described as rock-hard and cold. "We stayed in the terminal to monitor when the replacement flight would depart the following day," Rainey recalled. "I stayed awake and watched the kids, and a kind staff member offered blankets. My kids were sleeping on a rock-hard floor. I stayed up through the night while my family slept and checked updates on the EasyJet app."

The replacement flight ultimately left Split the next day at 1:45 p.m. local time and arrived in Crete shortly before 6 p.m., meaning the Raineys lost nearly a full day of their holiday and faced disruption to their plans, meals, and sleep.

Raimey described the experience as a major disappointment, saying he was "pretty disgusted" by how the situation was handled and by the prospect of arriving in Crete later than planned. He noted that the disruption extended beyond the delay itself, affecting the family’s ability to eat and sleep during the trip. He said the family felt abandoned by the airline, particularly after being told no refunds or compensation would be issued because the leg had to divert due to a medical emergency on board.

In response to the couple’s complaint, EasyJet issued an apology and said it would refund the cost of the lost night as a gesture of goodwill. An EasyJet Holidays spokesperson stated: "We’re really sorry for Mr Rainey and his family’s experience after their flight from Luton to Crete was diverted to Split, due to a crew member requiring urgent medical assistance. Our airline sourced a replacement crew member who could operate the following day but unfortunately this meant the flight was delayed overnight. We understand this was a disappointing start to the family’s holiday, and not the experience we want for our customers. We’re in touch with Mr Rainey to apologise, offer a refund for the lost night, and provide a gesture of goodwill."