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Passengers ‘sobbed openly’ on bumpy flight during Storm Brendan

AFP/Getty
AFP/Getty

Passengers took “out their phones to make calls” during a bumpy flight to Belfast amid Storm Brendan.

Aer Lingus flight EI 931 was flying from London Heathrow to Belfast City Airport.

Due to high winds from Storm Brendan, the flight was diverted to Belfast International Airport.

Dwaine Vance, who was onboard, called it a “scary flight” in a Facebook post.

“The talent and skills of the Aer Lingus pilot is nothing short of miraculous,” he wrote.

“You know it was a scary flight when people take out their phones to make calls, and people are openly sobbing on the flight. I for one, was petrified.

“Thankfully we landed safely, albeit at the wrong airport.”

The flight pattern on tracking site Flight Radar 24 shows the plane circling Belfast City Airport several times before landing at the city’s international hub instead.

An Aer Lingus spokesperson told The Independent: “During Storm Brendan, Aer Lingus flight EI 931 from London Heathrow to Belfast City Airport on Monday 13th January, was diverted to Belfast International Airport due to adverse winds at Belfast City Airport.

“The aircraft landed safely at 12:52 and guests were provided surface transport back to Belfast City Airport. Aer Lingus apologises for the inconvenience to guests.”

Storm Brendan has disrupted ferries and trains in Scotland and the Irish Sea today.

Many Western Isles ferries have been cancelled for the day in Scotland by Caledonian MacBrayne.

On the Irish Sea, many sailings are disrupted because of the high winds.

On the railways, the main problems are speed restrictions imposed as safety precautions. Trains on the line through Anglesey between Holyhead and Bangor will travel more slowly until 6pm.

In Devon and Cornwall, a speed restriction has been imposed between Exeter and Penzance that will add 20 minutes to journeys until 9pm at the earliest.

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