Tui Airways flight diverts to North Africa to deliver spare part

When passengers purchased tickets for Tui Airways flight 4651, they thought it would take them from Calabria in southern Italy to London Gatwick.

However, when the aircraft departed on Saturday after a two-hour delay, it took them to North Africa.

The 737 aircraft was intentionally diverted from London to a town in Tunisia during the weekend to make an important delivery, the Independent reported.

On Saturday morning, passengers were warned their flight could make a stop at an airport in Enfidha, on Tunisia’s east coast, to drop off a part for another aircraft.

Sure enough, after a two-hour delay, the flight flew an hour to Enfidha, where it spent another hour dropping off a part and refuelling. Eventually, the flight began its journey to Gatwick and arrived four hours late.

As frustrating as it can be for passengers, airlines are entitled to make such diversions if they can solve an operational issue, the Independent stated.

In the case of Tui Airlines, the flight dropped off equipment required for a TOM529 aircraft which had a technical issue, a spokesperson told the news outlet.

The spokesperson apologised for the “inconvenience” and said passengers were given a free drink on board the flight and told they could claim EU261 compensation.

If a passenger’s flight arrives three or more hours past its scheduled arrival time, they are entitled to £350 (NZ$630) under certain circumstances under European Regulation EU261.

However, the flights must be operated by an EU airline or departing from an EU airport.