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| Airblue Manchester to Islamabad flight delayed for two days | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| More than 300 passengers have been delayed for two days after an aeroplane due to fly from Manchester to Pakistan developed a fault. | |
| The Airblue flight to Islamabad was due to fly on Friday night, was rescheduled for 15:00 on Sunday and delayed again. | |
| Many passengers spent Saturday night in the airport rather than travel to the accommodation offered by the airline about 80 miles away in Birmingham. | Many passengers spent Saturday night in the airport rather than travel to the accommodation offered by the airline about 80 miles away in Birmingham. |
| Airblue said it tried to give passengers "every compensation". | Airblue said it tried to give passengers "every compensation". |
| The plane was originally due to depart at 21:50 on Friday. | |
| By 19:00 BST on Sunday passengers were being told to report to the departure gate for the delayed rearranged flight. | |
| 'Not treated like humans' | 'Not treated like humans' |
| A spokesman for the private Pakistani airline said passengers were offered the nearest hotels able to accommodate such large numbers on Saturday night. | |
| Huma Altaf, of Manchester, is travelling with her 11-year-old daughter Maryam and said they spent the night on benches without blankets in a cold area of the airport. | Huma Altaf, of Manchester, is travelling with her 11-year-old daughter Maryam and said they spent the night on benches without blankets in a cold area of the airport. |
| She said: "We have not been treated like humans. | She said: "We have not been treated like humans. |
| "At 11pm we were told we could get on a coach to a hotel in Birmingham, but by the time we got there we would have only got a few hours' sleep before having to travel back, and many felt the coach journey would be more unsettling for children so we stayed at the airport. | "At 11pm we were told we could get on a coach to a hotel in Birmingham, but by the time we got there we would have only got a few hours' sleep before having to travel back, and many felt the coach journey would be more unsettling for children so we stayed at the airport. |
| "We were offered only chips and beans for two nights and by the time I got to the end of the queue they had run out. I felt like a beggar trying to get anything. | "We were offered only chips and beans for two nights and by the time I got to the end of the queue they had run out. I felt like a beggar trying to get anything. |
| "We're travelling to spend my daughter's first Eid with her grandparents and she was so looking forward to it. Now our families are anxiously waiting for us." | "We're travelling to spend my daughter's first Eid with her grandparents and she was so looking forward to it. Now our families are anxiously waiting for us." |
| Another passenger, who gave his name as Javed, said: "I see 300 people, many with children, in tears. People are exhausted mentally and physically, people are making expensive calls to Pakistan families. | Another passenger, who gave his name as Javed, said: "I see 300 people, many with children, in tears. People are exhausted mentally and physically, people are making expensive calls to Pakistan families. |
| "I'm seeing people that can't keep their fast, I'm seeing people who have no access to food when it comes to opening the fast." | "I'm seeing people that can't keep their fast, I'm seeing people who have no access to food when it comes to opening the fast." |
| Manchester Airport said it was assisting the airline. | Manchester Airport said it was assisting the airline. |