EURO ENQUIRY INTO TWO DAY PLANE JOURNEY NIGHTMARE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Jun 2006

Fiona Hall, Euro MP for the North East has written to Excel Airways to ask why holidaymakers from the region were subjected to a gruelling flight back from Skiathos, earlier this week.

Confused and angry passengers were left without explanation as to why the Excel plane took nearly two days to arrive into Newcastle airport.

The Liberal Democrat said: "I have been told that the flight was initially delayed arriving in Skiathos from Newcastle on the 23rd due to refueling during the journey. "However, passengers were then told that this delay was actually due to a technical problem with the aircraft.

"The flight was then diverted to Corfu in order to change the crew and here the plane experienced further technical difficulties. "I have written to the Chief Executive of Excel Airways and hope to help my constituents get to the bottom of why their holiday ended in such chaos"