AN easyJet passenger has told how she was forced to share a room with a stranger or face sleeping in the hotel lobby after her flight was cancelled.

Margaret Elizabeth, 27, was forced to stay in a double room with an unknown man after her flight from Croatia was delayed overnight due to adverse weather.

3

3

Advertisement

The pair were among four solo travellers in the group, alongside two women who were also forced to reluctantly share a room at the Royal Hotels & Resort Dubrovnik.

Passengers on the 11.30am UK-bound journey had been at Dubrovnik airport for 18 hours when the flight cancellation was confirmed, before they were taken to the hotel at 4am.

Despite her pleas against the “inappropriate” arrangement, airport staff informed her the only other option was to bunk down in the lobby.

The communications officer blasted the company for putting her in a “dangerous” situation that left her feeling both “scared and exposed”.

Margaret, from Balham, south London, told The Sun: “I was exhausted but I couldn’t sleep because I was deeply uncomfortable with the situation. A part of me wishes I stayed in the lobby.

“I couldn’t help but quietly cry out of frustration. The man seemed nice, but at the end of the day I was still sleeping with a stranger in a small, confined room.

“In the morning I got changed in the bathroom quickly and rushed out, which meant I ended up leaving some things in the room accidentally.

“EasyJet needs to do something about this. It is dangerous and negligent to put anyone, let alone a young female woman, in a position like this.”

The flight eventually left the following day at 1.30pm on September 10, more than 26 hours after the original departure time.

Margaret filled out a compensation form and sent an email complaint to EasyJet customer services who told her they “sincerely apologise for the discomfort the room-sharing situation caused” and recognised it was “not appropriate”.

A spokesperson for the budget airline said: “We are extremely sorry for Margaret’s experience when her flight was delayed overnight. The safety and welfare of our customers is our highest priority.

“It is not our policy to allocate passengers not travelling together a shared room so this should never have happened.

“We are investigating how this happened and take steps to ensure it does not happen in the future.”

3

THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge often favour staycations with their family over foreign holidays – much like Kate Middleton enjoyed with her family as a child.

She and her siblings would spend every summer visiting a particularly quaint corner of the Lake District – next to Lake Coniston and the charming village of Coniston.

6

6

Advertisement

6

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Kate’s brother James Middleton described his childhood summers in the Lake District.

He said: “The Lake District. It stems from my childhood, reading Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, and as I got older, Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons.

“As my family and I spent time on Coniston Water and Lake Windermere, it was almost like we were living the stories in real life.

“I’d have visions of having my own ‘Timmy’ — the dog in the Famous Five — and imagined that we could go on adventures together.

“Every school holiday we would stay anywhere from a weekend to a week there, in sun or snow or rain, and because there was no electricity in the family cottage it was a real adventure — hiking in the mountains and playing in the Lakes.”

The Princess’s brother claims to have first visited the Lake District when he was just six months old, and the family’s ties to the area go back generations, with their paternal great-great-grandfather living in Yorkshire.

Their connection was even immortalised in a family coat of arms, which was given to Kate Middleton shortly before her marriage to Prince William.

A set of chevrons symbolises mountain landscapes like the Lake District, reflecting Princess Kate’s love of the outdoors.

More recently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited the National Park in a royal capacity, making appearances at the Air Cadet‘s Windermere adventure training centre and turning their hands to sheep shearing.

As England‘s largest lake, Lake Windermere is a popular holiday destination in its own right.

But holidaymakers looking to visit the Lake District might want to head to Coniston Water, a slightly lesser-known body of water in the area.

In a review on TripAdvisor one person described their trip to Coniston, writing: “Close to the overrated Lake Windermere, Coniston is close, as the crow flies, but following a long winding road journey. It is a bit prettier than Windermere.”

Located in the southern area of the Lake District, Coniston is a quaint village at the mouth of the Coppermines Valley.

Historically, the village was known for its copper and slate mining.

However, in recent years, Coniston Water, a nearby lake has garnered tourist attention.

Roughly five miles long and half a mile wide, Coniston Water is located just a mile away from the village.

On Coniston Water, visitors can hire boats from Coniston Boating Centre, with dark sky canoeing taking place at night.

Coniston village is popular with hikers and ramblers because of its proximity to the Old Man of Coniston, one of Cumbria‘s most popular fells.

In the village, there are a range of shops, pubs and places to eat, including the Crown Inn.

Coniston also has its own local brewery – Coniston Brewery.

other nearby attractions include Lowther Castle & Gardens and Tarn Hows, an accessible walking route in the Lake District.

Coniston is a five-and-a-half-hour drive from London, and it’s a two-hour drive from Manchester.

Meanwhile, this often-ridiculed UK seaside town has been compared to Miami.

And this Victorian beach town is set to become big again this summer.

6

6

6

Advertisement

MANCHESTER Airport is launching its first direct flights to one of Europe’s least visited countries, that’s been dubbed a “hidden gem”.

FlyOne will be operating twice-weekly direct flights to Moldova – the home of an award-winning wine scene, picturesque landscapes, and some of the world’s most friendly hospitality.

4

4

Advertisement

From Tuesday 17th December, the flights will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays to the capital Chisinau.

Flight prices will start from £19 per person for one way.

Moldova, officially known as the Republic of Moldova, has remained a hidden gem destination in Eastern Europe, despite having many reasons for people to visit.

It’s known for its wine, with a history of wine-growing that dates back thousands of years. 

The country has over 120 wineries, and the Codru region is home to some of the oldest. 

Cricova is the country’s largest wine cellar, and was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wines in the 1950s.

Moldova also has a rich history and many historic landmarks can still be visited today.

Căpriana Monastery is known for being one of the oldest monasteries in the country and for being a centre of Moldavian music, architecture, and written language.

There’s also Old Orhei, a natural and historical complex located on a bend of the Răut River, which is popular with nature lovers and people looking to enjoy a quiet spot.

Chisinau itself is ideal for a city break as it is packed with museums, galleries, bars and restaurants, and it’s also known for its Soviet-era architecture.

Ruslan Bolbocean, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the UK, said: “The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova is pleased to welcome the launch of the direct flight between Chisinau and Manchester.

“This new connection is an important development for the Moldovan diaspora in the North West of England and enhances cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the UK.

“This is the result of productive meetings with Manchester Airport earlier this year, and we are grateful for the strong partnership established. We encourage all airlines to explore similar opportunities to boost connectivity and look forward to the positive impact this will have on both business and tourism.”

Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport added: “We are proud to connect the North to the world through our route network of more than 200 destinations, more than any UK airport outside London. A key part of that is connecting people to friends and family in other countries.

“The North is home to lots of people from Moldova and we’re really pleased to be able to help them visit their homeland from an airport right on their doorstep.

“This new route also gives people from the North the opportunity to take the road less travelled and visit one of Europe’s last real hidden gems, with fantastic wine and beautiful scenery.”

4

4

FlyOne was launched in 2016 and has become the largest airline in Moldova.

The company currently operates flights to 60 destinations.