Family stuck in Tenerife for a week forced to spend £1,200 extra as kids miss school

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Luke Harcourt and his wife Shelley traveled to Tenerife for a holiday that turned into an “absolute nightmare” when their return flight was cancelled. Your kids are missing school now

A family of six stranded for a week amid travel chaos in Tenerife has had to shell out £2,000 in additional expenses.

Desperate Brit Luke Harcourt and his wife Shelley, both 38, were due to fly home on June 1 from a last-minute anniversary holiday.

But the six-day break turned into an “absolute nightmare” when their Wizz Air flight was canceled and they couldn’t get seats until Wednesday night – a full week later.

Her children Oscar, seven, Dexter, six, Carter, four, and Charlie, 12, are now missing school even more after two years of the pandemic disorder.

And Shelley is struggling after running out of her thyroid meds.

Construction company owner Luke, from Rochester, Kent, told the Mirror: “It’s been an absolute nightmare. I can’t describe it to you.

“It cost me at least a few grand.

“Wizz Air informed us that they could not assist us with accommodation or put us on previous flights. We have to try and get them to refund us when we get back.”

Family friend Bob Singh, 53, who has diabetes, also has health concerns after running out of his medication.

His partner Mesh Kaur, also from Rochester, has ruined her birthday plans at home as she turns 51 tomorrow.

Luke, who is missing work, added: “We’ve tried looking for flights on other airlines but they’re all fully booked. It gets pretty scary when you’re traveling with young kids and can’t get home.

“We only brought clothes for six days. We had to find a laundromat and buy more clothes.

“But the main thing is that the children now also miss school.”

Wizz Air apologized for the delays and cancellations, citing widespread staff shortages affecting the industry, including air traffic control, ground operations and baggage handling, security and at airports.

A spokesman added: “We sincerely apologize to the customers whose travel plans were impacted as we understand how disappointed they are, especially when so many people want and deserve to travel the world again.

“We’re doing everything we can to offer them a range of options so they can travel, including alternative flights with Wizz Air, a full refund or 120% flight credit (both of which we aim to process within a week).”