British family says EasyJet left them sleeping on Split airport floor after Crete flight diverted to Croatia

A British father of three says his family were forced to sleep on the floor of Split airport after their EasyJet flight from Luton to Crete was diverted to Croatia for a medical emergency. Darren Rainey, 41, from Hertfordshire, was traveling with his wife and three teenagers on 13 August when the plane made an unscheduled stop in Split after a flight attendant fell ill.

Passengers were instructed to remain on the aircraft while a replacement crew was sought, Rainey said. After about an hour and a half, the airline reportedly told those on board that they would have to disembark and await a new crew in Croatia. Rainey said the situation worsened when easyJet reportedly promised accommodation but, after another hour of waiting, told passengers they would need to find and pay for their own lodging. With shops in the airport closed, the family struggled to feed itself as they prepared to spend the night in Split.

The Raineys say they retrieved their luggage, passed through passport control, and were directed to meet staff in the terminal, where they ultimately set up a makeshift camp to monitor when the replacement flight would depart the following day. "It must have been 90 minutes and they turned around and said they were going to remove us all off the plane because they couldn't get anyone else," Rainey recalled. He described his children as sleeping on a rock-hard, cold floor while he stayed awake to watch over them; a nearby airport employee reportedly offered blankets.

The family ultimately remained in Split until a replacement EasyJet flight could operate the next day. The flight left Croatia at about 1:45 p.m. local time and landed in Crete just before 6 p.m., Rainey said. In the meantime, the disruption prevented part of the family’s holiday from starting as planned, with Rainey noting that the delay affected meals and sleep and had cast a pall over the first days of the trip.

"I'm pretty disgusted at how they [easyJet] went about it and then decided that we would fly in the afternoon," Rainey said. While he wasn’t seeking sympathy for himself, he emphasized that his family deserved better after traveling with small children and teenagers. He added that he could not afford the extra cost of two hotel rooms, leaving them with little option but to sleep on the floor of the terminal.

The incident drew a response from EasyJet, which apologized for the experience and said it would refund the lost night as a gesture of goodwill. An EasyJet Holidays spokesperson said: "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." The Raineys also reported that a complaint to the airline about compensation was initially dismissed on the basis that the delay was due to the emergency landing, though the carrier said it would consider goodwill concessions.

The family’s experience underscores the challenges travelers face when disruptions occur during vacations, particularly when families with children must navigate sudden changes in plans and lodging costs. While EasyJet has extended an apology and offered a refund for the night lost, questions remain for travelers about how such disruptions are managed and compensated when a flight is diverted mid-journey.