Police were on hand to protect Tiger airways staff from angry passengers as the cancellation of flight TT567 was announced at Hobart airport last Friday.
The Hobart to Melbourne service was cancelled when a cabin crew member suddenly fell ill. The airline commented “Unfortunately we do not have a crew base in Hobart and so no replacement was available (and) we need a certain amount of cabin crew to fly each flight by law.�
“Tiger Airways apologises to affected passengers but this situation was outside our control.�
Mike Walters who was booked on the flight claimed he and his wife were effectively abandoned after the cancellation of the flight. “We were isolated in a hotel at Cambridge airport some 17 kilometres from Hobart without any local shops or supplies,� Mr Walters said.
Mr Walters said he forked out for a flight back to Melbourne yesterday on Virgin Blue because he could not wait until today, particularly as he had run out of medication.
“To add to our irritation we had to pay for alternative accommodation, transport, interstate telephone calls to family and the Tiger call centre and meals out of our own pocket with the promise of an unspecified refund in two months’ time,â€? Mr Walters said.
“We know of other passengers on our flight who missed interstate connections to family weddings, including one best man.
An airline spokesperson  said the 140 passengers booked on the flight were offered a range of options “over and above our terms and conditions that passengers agree to at time of booking�.
These options included refunds and credits, accommodation in Hobart for non-residents and transfers to other flights.
“Some passengers opted to fly on Saturday, some on Sunday and there is a flight tonight at 9:15pm departing Hobart with spare seats,� they added.
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