A routine holiday return from Egypt turned into a multi-day ordeal on Nov. 10 when a SkyUp aircraft carrying Lithuanian vacationers from Hurghada to Vilnius was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after a passenger suffered a severe medical emergency.
The flight initially faced a delay of more than three hours in Egypt before finally taking off, 15min.lt reported. The aircraft managed to climb into the air before the in-flight medical situation unfolded, prompting the crew to administer aid and execute the unscheduled landing in Greece.
Following the landing, passengers disembarked, collected their checked luggage, and waited approximately four hours inside the terminal before travel organizers transferred them to the Ramada hotel in the Athens region, according to 77.lt. What was supposed to be a brief technical stop quickly devolved into a shifting timeline of rolling delays.
“Mūsų kelionė namo, prasidėjusi daugiau nei trijų valandų vėlavimu dar Egipte, virto nesibaigiančiu laukimu, nuolat keičiamais skrydžio laikais ir organizaciniais nesklandumais” a passenger on board told Delfi. Despite the frustration, the traveler emphasized public support for the flight deck’s decision.
„Norime pabrėžti, kad visiškai suprantame ir palaikome sprendimą skubiai leistis Graikijoje. Žmogaus sveikata ir gyvybė yra svarbiausia,“”
said a passenger, noting that travelers understand human life takes precedence over schedules. Passengers were later informed that the medical oxygen supplies on the aircraft had been depleted during the emergency response, preventing the flight from continuing without a refill.
The travel itinerary shifted multiple times through the following days, moving from an early morning SMS notification on Nov. 11 pointing to a quick departure, through subsequent slots at 14:00 and 21:00 local time, before settling on a new departure target of Nov. 12 at 11:00, 77.lt reported.
Travelers attempting to return home via tour operator Join UP! stated they ultimately want clear information, proper waiting conditions, and concrete answers regarding compensation for the disrupted journey.
