Jet2 Passengers Left Behind As Spain-Bound Flight From Manchester Takes Off Without Them

Last Updated:January 19, 2026, 23:41 IST

Jet2 passengers at Manchester Airport missed their Alicante flight after being stranded in a stairwell due to a directional error. Jet2 has launched probe.

The airlines has launched a probe into the matter. (X)

In a bizarre incident, passengers of Jet2 airline were shocked when their flight departed for Spain without them, leaving them stranded in a terminal stairwell. The airlines has launched an investigation into the incident.

The flight was bound for Alicante from Manchester Airport. According to The Sun, at least 35 holidaymakers had reached the stairwell after showing their passports and scanning their boarding passes for the 7am flight.

After they waited for roughly 40 minutes for the gate to open, they realized something was wrong. Later, when an airport worker asked them what was going on and they informed him, he reportedly told the weary passengers “the plane’s gone".

The Sun quoted the passengers stating that other Jet2 staff admitted it had “never happened before".

Manchester Evening News quoted one of the affected passengers, Matt, saying: “…we’re thinking ‘why aren’t these doors open’. We thought a bus would come for us and take us to the plane. We were there for 10 minutes, 20, 30, then we thought ‘what’s going on’. We were literally stuck like caged animals."

According to The Sun, the group have since reportedly been informed there was an “error on the stairwell directions".

Meanwhile, the airlines have confirmed that an investigation has been launched “as a matter of urgency".

A spokesperson said: “We are aware that flight LS879 from Manchester to Alicante departed without some customers this morning. We are investigating this as a matter of urgency with the airport."

“Our team are looking after these customers, and we have already arranged for them to take other flights to Alicante today. We would of course like to apologise to these customers," the spokesperson added.

News world Jet2 Passengers Left Behind As Spain-Bound Flight From Manchester Takes Off Without Them

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