A British family are among dozens of travellers ‘abandoned’ in Jordan after Wizzair cancelled their Amman-London flight less an hour before take-off when Iran launched its drone and missile attack on Israel on Saturday night.
The Deweys from Bristol, fear they could be stuck in a war zone for weeks as the low-cost carrier has stopped services in and out of Jordan, and is not booking passengers on flights with alternative airlines.
Jon Dewey, his wife Sam, and their sons Gabriel, 23, and Jem, 18, had been visiting his 21-year-old daughter Joely, who is studying Arabic at a language school in the middle eastern state, over the Easter holidays.
But the family were ‘shepherded’ – along with other Wizzair passengers – into Amman airport car park on Saturday night, after Jordan closed its airspace, and watched as Iranian drones and missiles were shot down overhead.
Now the family are battling to find seats on any flight back to UK – at huge expense – before Israel mounts a retaliation attack on Iran.
The Dewey family visiting the Roman Amphitheatre in Amman, Jordan. Jon Dewey, his wife Sam, and their sons Gabriel, 23, and Jem, 18, had been visiting his 21-year-old daughter Joely, who is studying Arabic at a language school in the middle eastern state, over the Easter holidays
The Dewey family stranded at a hotel. The family are battling to find seats on any flight back to UK – at huge expense – before Israel mounts a retaliation attack on Iran
Amman Airport. the Deweys were ‘shepherded’ – along with other Wizzair passengers – into Amman airport car park on Saturday night, after Jordan closed its airspace, and watched as Iranian drones and missiles were shot down overhead
Jon, 57, told the Mail: ‘We’ve been in Jordan visiting my daughter Joely who is studying Arabic and is on a six month placement in the country from the University of Manchester.
‘We had a wonderful time travelling around Jordan which is a beautiful country – visiting the ancient city of Petra, the Dead Sea and the Wadi Rum desert oasis.
‘We were meant to be travelling home on Saturday [13th April] when our Wizzair flight was cancelled.
‘We had checked in and had passed through security and then less than an hour before take-off there was an announcement that the flight had been cancelled. There was no explanation.
‘We looked at our phones and saw that Iran had launched its drone strikes on Israel.
‘We were shepherded into the car park to wait for transport to take us to a hotel and we had a clear view of the aerial bombardments.
‘We all stood there watching the burning debris as drones were shot out of the sky.
The family visiting Petra in Jordan. Jon said: ‘We had a wonderful time travelling around Jordan which is a beautiful country – visiting the ancient city of Petra, the Dead Sea and the Wadi Rum desert oasis’
The Dewey children visiting Petra. The family face paying over £2,000 to get home. Jon said: ‘I’ve been scanning for alternative flights but there’s nothing under £2,000 for the four of us and that going all around the houses – Cairo, Berlin and then London’
Jon’s wife, Sam, and her son Gabriel at Wadi Rum. Sam, a teacher, was meant to be back in work today but instead is stranded in Jordan
‘There were several explosions nearby. You could hear the thump of bombs.
‘We felt a bit of panic. We were seeing these drones.
‘We didn’t know how long the attack was going to last or where the missiles were going to land.
‘Eventually we were picked up by a bus at about 4.30am and taken to the Crowne Plaza hotel.
‘We had a couple of hours of sleep.
‘But we heard nothing from Wizzair.
‘They sent out an email saying that the flight had been cancelled and to rebook via their App.
‘But the next two flights – tomorrow [Tuesday 16th] and on Thursday [18th] have been cancelled too.
‘The next available flight in on Tuesday 23rd April. That’s more than a week away. How do we know they are not going to cancel that flight.
‘Israel is threatening to retaliate against Iran.
‘We could be stuck in a war zone for weeks if that happens!’
Jon, a brand manager, added that the family all had important commitments at home.
He said: ‘My wife Sam is a teacher and she’s meant to go back to work tomorrow.
‘My youngest son Jem was meant to be being back at school today. He has A levels in a month!
‘And Gabriel and I are both missing clients calls and appointments.
‘We have two dogs and a cat that my sister is looking after, and I have a sick mother who is 90.
‘We need to get home.
‘But Wizzair are doing nothing.
‘We might be out of this hotel on our ear at midday tomorrow!’
‘We feel totally abandoned.’
Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel. The Dewey found themselves stranded in Amman after Jordan closed its airspace. They spent saturday evening watching drones from Iran fly overhead
Jon continued: ‘It’s so frustrating.
‘Jordan has reopened its airspace. The skies are open, other airlines are flying but not Wizzair.
‘Apparently our plane was diverted to Larnaca [Cyprus]. Why can’t our flight be reinstated and Wizzair bring us home.
‘I’ve been scanning for alternative flights but there’s nothing under £2,000 for the four of us and that going all around the houses – Cairo, Berlin and then London.’
British and European airlines have a duty to provide accommodation and find alternative flights for passengers whose flights have been cancelled.
Wizzair maintain they have not abandoned their passengers in Amman.
A spokeswoman said: ‘
‘We would like to express our sincerest apologies to customers impacted by the cancellation of flight W9 5304 from Amman to the UK.
‘We know that this would have caused significant disruption for those affected.
‘The health and safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority and, in this instance, the flight was cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control.
‘All passengers were provided with transportation and hotel accommodation, and we have been in touch to outline their rights and options for forward travel, including rebooking or requesting a refund.
‘Again, we apologise for any disruption this has caused our passengers.’
