A FLIGHT from Manchester to Dublin ended up being diverted all the way to Paris as Storm Isha’s 107mph winds cause chaos across the country.
The Ryanair flight had been due to take off on Sunday afternoon and arrive in Dublin at around 3.30pm
After being delayed by an hour with passengers stuck on the runway, it eventually took off but never made it to Ireland.
Storm Isha though wrecked those plans as it whipped up fierce gusts hitting a high of 107mph in places.
The plane circled the Irish Sea several times before aborting and then making its way to Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport, eventually touching down shortly before 5.30pm.
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Among those on board was journalist Nicola Bardon who described the flight as a “nightmare”.
She told the Manchester Evening News: “We were already delayed leaving Manchester. We got to Dublin and were over the runway, and then the next thing, we were back in the sky.
“We attempted [to land] again and then the pilot made an announcement that Dublin was too windy and that Manchester was full, so we were going to the East Midlands.
“About 20 minutes later, we were updated to say the UK airports were not an option and that they had made the decision to go to Paris Beauvais.
“There was a big laugh from the passengers when the pilot informed us we are going to Paris initially.
“One person yelled ‘Welcome to Pari, would prefer to be in Kerry’. We have now been on the runway for over two hours with no information since just after we landed.
“It’s a nightmare. Phones are dead, they have run out of food and drinks and we are facing another 90 minutes on the runway and there is still chance of another diversion.
“It’s nearly 9pm in France and everyone has been on good form for most of the drama, but we are tired now.”
Storm Isha has wrecked havoc on flights across the country with several scheduled flights cancelled as well as many diversions.
Another Ryanair plane flying from Manchester to Stansted made one attempt to land in London but was then said to have been diverted to Budapest.
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Meanwhile, another flight from Manchester to Dublin ended up having to land at Liverpool, having spent more than three hours in the air and several attempts to reach its actual destination.
Air traffic control restrictions are currently in place, leading to flight cancellations and causing many planes to divert.
A Tui flight travelling from Sharm el Sheikh to Glasgow Airport declared an emergency due to Storm Isha.
A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said the flight was "diverted to Manchester due to current weather conditions".
National Air Traffic Services said: "Due to adverse weather conditions across the UK, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety.
"Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline."
Ryanair flight FR661 from Birmingham to Dublin which had departed at around 10.30am had attempted to land before flying back and landing at Manchester.
One passenger on board took to X, formerly Twitter, to write: "The storm has caused massive winds in Dublin, they tried to land but the plane was genuinely swinging back and forth, it felt like stuff was hitting the sides of the plane.
"Genuinely one of the scariest experiences of my life. First time I've applauded a pilot. I could have kissed the bloke when we hit the tarmac in Manc."
Similarly, Ryanair flight FR1504 had set off from Gdansk to Leeds but after circling Yorkshire several times, it was eventually diverted to Manchester Airport, landing at around 1pm.
A British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Belfast also ran into trouble.
It circled over Northern Ireland before aborting the landing and heading over to Manchester Airport where it eventually landed just before 6pm.
A BA spokesperson said they had apologised to passengers after the flight.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “Due to Storm Isha, some flights to/from the UK and Ireland yesterday (Sun, 21 Jan) and today (Mon, 22 Jan) have regrettably been cancelled/delayed.
"We are working hard to reaccommodate affected passengers and advise all passengers due to travel to/from the UK or Ireland today (Mon, 22 Jan) to check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.
"Ryanair sincerely apologises to all passengers affected by these storm-related disruptions, which are entirely beyond our control and have impacted all airlines operating to/from the UK and Ireland yesterday (Sun, 21 Jan)/today (Mon, 22 Jan).”
