Nearly 100 Dutch travelers stranded in Egypt due to plane technical issues

A group of nearly 100 Dutch vacationers has been stranded in Egypt for several days after their flight encountered multiple technical issues, causing significant delays. The travelers, who left Eindhoven on Friday for a vacation in Hurghada, have been stuck in Sharm-el-Sheikh after their flight was disrupted due to mechanical problems, AD reports.

According to Lien Neiman, a 33-year-old traveler from the Netherlands who is accompanied by her 9-year-old son and husband, they arrived in Sharm-el-Sheikh on Friday but were informed of a technical issue with the plane. "We had to wait in the plane for 3.5 hours before they decided we could not continue with that aircraft," Neiman told AD. TUI, the airline handling the flight, arranged for the passengers to be taken to a nearby hotel, where they spent an additional night. However, it soon became apparent that traveling to Hurghada the next day would not be possible.

The flight to Hurghada was rescheduled for Sunday evening, but when passengers boarded the plane, the pilot announced further technical difficulties. "We were all in the plane when the pilot told us over the intercom that there were more technical problems," Neiman explained. "There was no further information about the new flight, and the mood among the passengers dropped drastically."

By Monday, Neiman and the others had still not reached their intended destination and had spent several days waiting. "We’re all exhausted because we’ve barely slept in three days," Neiman told AD. "The other passengers are also tired and frustrated with the lack of communication. We’re only receiving sporadic updates, and the information keeps changing. Even the TUI staff here don’t seem to know what’s going on."

A spokesperson for TUI confirmed that 95 travelers, mostly from the Netherlands, are involved in the situation. Additionally, 11 other Dutch travelers are attempting to return to Eindhoven via Hurghada. The stranded passengers have been rechecked into their current hotel, but Neiman described the accommodations as inferior to what they had originally booked in Hurghada. "The hotel is doing its best, but they receive very little information from TUI, so it's been hard to get the room cleaned or extend our keys," Neiman added.

Neiman, who has previously traveled with TUI without issue, said she is planning to file a compensation claim. "We’ve paid a lot for this trip, and we haven’t received what was promised. This is unacceptable," she said.

In response, TUI said that a technician had been flown in to repair the plane, but was unable to resolve the problem. The airline stated that a replacement aircraft is now on its way, with a new departure time set for 4:00 p.m. on Monday.

TUI also expressed regret over the ongoing confusion, explaining that they are trying not to overwhelm the stranded passengers with information when there are no concrete updates available. The company allegedly assured that compensation will be provided to the travelers for the inconvenience.