Passengers who had to endure a shaky landing after their flight was diverted were filmed applauding their pilot for safely getting them onto the tarmac at Gatwick Airport as Storm Isha lashed the country.
A British Airways flight on its way from Ibiza to London City Airport was among the scores of passenger aircraft which were forced to divert as winds of up to 90mph hit the UK.
A holidaymaker shared a video on X showing the bumpy ride as the plane came into land, before the cabin erupted into applause and cheers for the captain, with one grateful passenger heard shouting ‘Go on geezer!’
There was also applause for the captain of an Alicante to Edinburgh flight, who managed to land the Jet2 plane despite dramatic crosswinds.
Air travel chaos has also hit Scotland amid ‘tornado watch’ warnings and amber weather alerts, with luggage filmed being blown across the runway at Edinburgh Airport.
![Passengers applauded as the plane came into land](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/21/23/80288215-12989923-image-m-35_1705881002897.jpg)
A holidaymaker shared a video on X showing the bumpy ride as the plane came into land, before the cabin erupted into applause and cheers for the captain
Meanwhile, passengers were left stranded 500 miles away from their intended destination after their Manchester to Dublin flight was forced to divert to Paris as the storm rolled in on Sunday.
The flight, which was initially due to land at Dublin International Airport at around 3.30pm, was already delayed by an hour when leaving Manchester Airport on Sunday afternoon.
However, due to ‘dangerous’ winds, the plane was forced to circle over the Irish Sea multiple times before aborting its landing and instead flying to Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport, landing shortly before 5.30pm.
Dublin International Airport had already issued a public warning about possible flight cancellations, delays and a stream of aborted landings, with numerous other flights diverting to Manchester and other airports across the country.
Two hours later, at 7.30pm, one passenger on board the Ryanair flight said those on board were still stuck on the runway in Paris.
Journalist Nicola Bardon, who was among those on board, said that the situation was a ‘nightmare’ and that that passengers remained sat on the plane for hours after landing, but that spirits remained high.
‘We were already delayed leaving Manchester,’ she said. ‘We got to Dublin and were over the runway, and then the next thing, we were back in the sky.
‘We attempted [to land] again and then the pilot made an announcement that Dublin was too windy and that Manchester was full, so we were going to the East Midlands.
![Luggage was filmed being blown away](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/21/23/80288229-12989923-image-m-40_1705881070703.jpg)
![Luggage was filmed being blown away](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/21/23/80288227-12989923-image-a-41_1705881074470.jpg)
A passenger on a plane at Edinburgh Airport shared footage of some luggage rolling across the tarmac
‘About 20 minutes later, we were updated to say the UK airports were not an option and that they had made the decision to go to Paris Beauvais.
‘There was a big laugh from the passengers when the pilot informed us of Paris initially.
‘One person yelled “Welcome to Pari, would prefer to be in Kerry”. We have now been on the runway for over two hours with no information since just after we landed.
‘It’s a nightmare. Phones are dead, they have run out of food and drinks and we are facing another 90 minutes on the runway and there is still chance of another diversion.
![An aircraft arriving in Leeds from Dublin is blown sideways when landing at the airport today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/00/80273905-12989923-LEEDS_An_aircraft_arriving_from_Dublin_is_blown_sideways_when_la-a-43_1705881686674.jpg)
An aircraft arriving in Leeds from Dublin is blown sideways when landing at the airport today
![Crowds gather in Dublin airport after flights were canceled due to Storm Isha, which saw flights diverted away from Ireland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/21/23/80288231-12989923-image-a-42_1705881155746.jpg)
Crowds gather in Dublin airport after flights were canceled due to Storm Isha, which saw flights diverted away from Ireland
‘It’s nearly 9pm in France and everyone has been on good form for most of the drama, but we are tired now.’
A number of other flights were forced to divert to other airports due to Storm Isha winds on Sunday, with a haul of other flights cancelled from UK airports, including Manchester.
A number of weather warnings, including two amber wind alerts, were put in place by the Met Office across the country for Sunday, when the storm first swooped in. Rail, sea and air travellers were told to brace for severe disruption, with closures, cancellations and delays expected across a number of services.
Meanwhile a flight travelling from Sharm El Sheikh to Glasgow Airport had to declare an emergency due to Storm Isha.
A spokesperson for Glasgow Airport said the TUI flight was ‘diverted to Manchester due to current weather conditions’.
They added: ‘This is happening across many UK airports due to Storm Isha.’
National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said: ‘Due to adverse weather conditions across the UK, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only every applied to maintain safety.
‘Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline.’
British Airways said: ‘Like other airlines, we have had to make schedule adjustments due to the adverse weather conditions across the UK and Europe caused by Storm Isha.
‘We’ve apologised to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans and our teams are working hard to get them on their way as quickly as possible.’