A diverted EasyJet flight from Rome was stuck on the tarmac for more than two hours after landing at Stansted, unable to refuel due to a lack of ground handling staff. The delay occurred as several flights were redirected away from Gatwick after a British Airways plane temporarily blocked its runway. Once the aircraft landed, EasyJet said there was no fuel available because ground handling arrangements were not in place at Stansted. Passengers were able to disembark only after 03:00 local time and had to arrange onward travel via limited late-hour public transport options.
A spokesperson for EasyJet apologized for the disruption, stating that because there was no ground handling support at Stansted, the carrier could not refuel the aircraft and therefore had to disembark passengers in Stansted, with promises of reimbursement for onward travel costs. Passengers reported delays in receiving baggage, contributing to a later return home—one traveler, Sammy, did not reach home until around 06:00 after additional luggage delays due to staff shortages at Stansted.
Sammy described the baggage situation, noting that screens showed “awaiting baggage” before disappearing, and that it took until about 04:30 for staff to acknowledge the problems with baggage handling. Some passengers left the plane in Stansted and arranged their own onward travel, with costs to be reimbursed later. There was also an option for luggage delivery to reduce waiting times.
An aviation source told the BBC that fuel on the EasyJet aircraft may have been so low after circling over Gatwick that it needed to land urgently at Stansted instead of its bases in Southend and Luton. The source added it was unclear why it took so long for EasyJet to remedy the situation and get passengers disembarked. The diversion followed a BA plane briefly blocking a Gatwick runway due to a reported landing gear issue; BA confirmed the plane landed safely and passengers disembarked normally. Gatwick said the runway was closed briefly because of a technical issue with an aircraft, with a small number of flights diverted and the majority returning to the airport.
UK passenger rights guidance notes that compensation rights depend on the cause and notice given for disruptions, with standard compensation scales based on flight distance. For example, flights under 1,500km can qualify for up to £220 per person, 1,500km to 3,500km up to £350, and over 3,500km up to £520 per person.
The incident underscores the challenges of airport ground handling capacity and the potential knock-on effects for travelers when an airline lacks a Stansted base or dedicated ground-support services.
