easyJet flight delayed by 23 hours after medical emergency diversion

On June 3, 2025, easyJet flight 3362 from Mallorca to Liverpool had to divert to Bordeaux, France due to a passenger requiring urgent medical assistance. As the flight approached Nantes, the crew reported that they could not continue because they had reached their regulated operating hours, and the aircraft had run low on fuel. Passengers were subsequently offloaded and required to reclaim their baggage while awaiting instructions for hotel accommodation. As they waited, some passengers had to sleep on the airport floor while others received refreshment vouchers as compensation for the inconvenience. However, the airline staff faced challenges securing hotel accommodations, as the booked hotel, Relais de Margaux Hotel and Spa, did not have enough rooms. This resulted in many passengers left without a place to stay, further compounding their distress. The plane, after securing a new crew, finally departed Bordeaux over two hours late, reaching Liverpool close to 10 PM, approximately 23 hours after the ordeal began. The government has been keen on providing passenger compensation, but recent discussions among European transport ministers have proposed changes to compensation regulations. Under the plans, passengers would only receive compensation for delays of four hours or more, moving away from the previous three-hour threshold. Notably, for delays of this duration, affected passengers might receive €300 compensation. Negotiations are ongoing as there is still a need for agreement with the European Parliament. The flight incident drew further attention to the necessity for airlines to have clear protocols for handling such emergencies, especially regarding passenger welfare during delays. EasyJet has stated that the safety and well-being of their passengers and crew remains their highest priority. Despite the difficulties experienced by passengers, the airline expressed that they did all they could to minimize the impact of the diversion. In this context, the flight delays sparked a discussion not only among the affected passengers but also touched on broader issues about airline policies and passenger rights under European regulations. This incident may impact future negotiations regarding airline compensation laws in Europe, particularly given the contrasting positions of member states who have previously debated the compensation threshold for delays. As travel continues to recover post-pandemic, such events highlight the critical balance airlines must maintain between operational constraints and customer service expectations.