Dad ‘feels like crying’ after 50th birthday ‘ruined’

A dad’s 50th birthday celebration was “ruined” after the family ran out of luggage containing important medication.

David Barnes traveled to Menorca from Manchester Airport with his wife Debbie Barnes and their son Riley, but claims he has faced nothing but challenges since arriving at the airport on Sunday, June 23. All flights from Terminal 1 and 2 were canceled or delayed after a power outage hit the airport.

The 50-year-old soon arrived at the airport, where his flight was delayed, but after boarding the plane with his wife and son, he was told that some luggage had been put on board, but not all. Despite the pilot’s supposed announcement, when the passengers got off the plane after it landed in Spain, they found that only prams and prams had arrived.

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TUI claims passengers were told they could decide not to board the plane if they wanted to. However, David, from Kirkby, claims he was unaware there was an option to stay in Manchester.

The dad, from Kirkby, said: “They sent us on holiday with 97 other people on the plane and no luggage.

“On the plane the pilot told us there was some luggage on the plane but when we called they said our luggage was still in Manchester. We had no option to get off the plane.

“My son is autistic and has a seizure. TUI staff doesn’t know anything about this. My son can’t wear certain fabrics or textures, he hates them.

“This is my 50th birthday party and it was destroyed. The experience at Manchester airport was terrible and now we don’t have the luggage or the medicine my son needs.”

“I’m devastated. I feel like crying but I have to stay strong. It’s ruined my whole experience of leaving. No one knows what’s going on, TUI reps have no idea.”

TUI confirmed to the ECHO that David and his family will receive £150 per person in compensation due to confusion over the amount of money they would have been owed as a result of his bags being cut off. The airline has not commented further on claims that passengers were not given the chance to stay at Manchester Airport, blaming Manchester Airport for its “inoperable baggage system”.

A TUI spokesman told the ECHO: “We would like to apologize to our customers affected by the disruption caused by the power cut at Manchester Airport on Sunday 23 June. We understand how disappointing it is for customers when a delay of this nature occurs and it’s not the way we wanted their holiday to start.

“Unfortunately, some customers have had to travel on holiday without luggage due to the inoperative baggage system at Manchester Airport. We would like to reassure customers that the vast majority of bags have now reached their intended destinations and will be reuniting customers with bags within the next 24 hours. We appreciate our customers’ patience at this time

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