Imagine flying home after a gig, only to find your flight cancelled and the airline telling you to “use the app.” One mum’s Cyprus trip turned into a four-day nightmare, battling bots and booking woes after an EasyJet flight fiasco. Would you trust an airline that leaves you stranded?

A routine professional trip to Cyprus transformed into a four-day ordeal for DJ Jodie Weston, who found herself allegedly “stranded” and “traumatised” after her **EasyJet flight** home was abruptly cancelled. Her experience has cast a spotlight on the challenges passengers face when unexpected **travel disruptions** occur, particularly concerning airline accountability and customer support.

Weston, who had journeyed to Kyrenia for a music festival performance, was at Larnaka Airport preparing for her return flight to London when the cancellation notice appeared just two hours before departure. Initially, EasyJet staff reportedly assured passengers of hotel accommodation and swift rebooking, suggesting the airline would manage the situation comprehensively.

However, the promised assistance quickly dissolved into a directive for passengers to utilise the EasyJet app. For Jodie, this presented an immediate barrier: although her name was on the ticket, the booking had been made by event managers, preventing her from accessing customer assistance through the digital platform and highlighting a significant flaw in airline customer service protocols for third-party bookings.

The severity of the situation escalated as Jodie learned, via other passengers, that the next available flight to London was a daunting four days away. This revelation came without any immediate offers of compensation or food vouchers, leaving her to navigate an unfamiliar country with unforeseen expenses.

Forced to take matters into her own hands, Weston spent £180 on a hotel room for the night and subsequently booked a £270 Wizz Air flight to return home the following day, incurring a total cost of £450. She vehemently accused the airline of “not giving a sh*t” and “hiding behind robots on an app,” underscoring her frustration with the lack of human support.

EasyJet later apologised for the “inconvenience,” attributing the flight cancellation to Air Traffic Control restrictions that led to crew exceeding their safety-regulated operating hours. They acknowledged the difficulty Jodie faced due to the third-party booking, stating they were unable to assist her over the phone without the original booker’s details, despite her being the named passenger.

The personal toll on Jodie was significant; beyond the financial strain, she missed a day of work and had to arrange unexpected childcare for her two-year-old son. Her initial claim for compensation upon returning home was rejected without explanation, further compounding her distress and leading her to vow never to fly with EasyJet again, feeling her passenger rights were disregarded.

Following further contact, EasyJet ultimately agreed to reimburse Jodie for her expenses, though they maintained she was not eligible for compensation due to the cancellation being outside their control. They also noted that information regarding flight options and reimbursements should have been passed on by the third-party booking agent, expressing regret that this did not reach her.

Jodie Weston’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls of modern air Cyprus travel and the critical need for airlines to ensure robust, accessible support mechanisms for all passengers, regardless of their booking method, especially when faced with unexpected and traumatising disruptions.