FLIGHT MARES

Stranded Brits fork out thousands of pounds for hotels & trips home

- GRAHAM HISCOTT

BRITISH holidaymakers told how they have been left stranded abroad with no support, amid warnings the air travel chaos could go on for days.

And thousands face being left out of pocket as they may not be entitled to compensation for ruined summer breaks. Many stuck in foreign countries will have to fork out for extra nights in hotels and food.

As the mayhem was caused by an air traffic control IT meltdown, airlines are not obliged to repay passengers for cancelled flights.

They are instead offered another one, but some trapped tourists have been told none are available until at least this weekend meaning they could miss work or the new school term. Holidaymakers have also said they are struggling to contact airlines and feel they have been abandoned.

At least 281 flights were cancelled yesterday at the UK's busiest airports. Many other were significantly delayed.

Kelly Hagerty and her family, from Aberbargoed, South Wales, were due to fly back on Monday after a 10-day holiday to the Canary Islands but their flight was cancelled.

They cannot get another until September 9. Kelly said: "We are talking £1,000 for each family to stay in another hotel.

"We've basically been left stranded, to crack on and sort it ourselves.

"We've got work, jobs to go to and school. Some of the children will be starting their first day in secondary school. It's a shambles."

Uel and Rachel O'Neill had to shell out for flights this Sunday to get back from Majorca to Belfast with children Tilly, seven, Sam, eight, and James, five, after theirs was cancelled yesterday.

Uel, 48, said: 'I've had to spend another £4,000 on a new flight to get back and it's also going to cost me for the hotel for another five nights