Airport fiasco: Jacqueline and friends trapped in Condor nightmare!

Airport fiasco: Jacqueline and friends trapped in Condor nightmare!

The flight from Zurich to Heraklion began on May 24, 2025 for Jacqueline (38) and five friends who were planning a party vacation for a friend's 30th birthday. But the good mood quickly turned into disappointment when the pilot was unable to land in Heraklion due to strong winds. Instead, passengers had to circle over the city and were diverted to Athens, where the plane landed to refuel. However, the group was not allowed to disembark as they had to leave their luggage on the plane.

In Athens the group wanted to travel on to Crete by ferry, but this wish was also denied. Instead we went on to Kos, where we couldn't land either. The flight finally landed in Thessaloniki, where they were locked in the plane for eleven hours before they were allowed to spend the night at the expense of the airline Condor. The Ornternet report from VOL.AT reports that the group had to wait two hours for the bus to Thessaloniki.

Adventure trip and costs

The next day, Sunday, the airline made another attempt to land in Heraklion, which failed again, even though the aircraft was already on the runway. Jacqueline said that other planes had landed in Heraklion both before and after her flight. The entire vacation cost the group 1,100 euros per person, with the outward journey being reimbursed, but the return flight not.

After returning to Zurich, the group felt as if they had never really left. Jacqueline, disappointed with the airline, decided never to fly with Condor again, but plans to use the villa she rented at a later date. So far, Condor has not commented on the incident in response to VOL.AT's request.

Background to Condor

Condor Flugdienst GmbH, based in Frankfurt am Main, is the fourth largest German airline in terms of passenger numbers and fleet. The company was founded on November 23, 1955. Flight operations began on March 29, 1956 with the first flights to Israel, Mallorca and Tenerife. Condor benefited from mass tourism in the 1960s and in 1962 had a market share of 63.3% in German air tourism. The airline mainly offers low-cost flights to popular tourist destinations such as Mallorca, Greece and Turkey.

Condor's fleet includes 41 aircraft, including Boeing 767-300ER and Airbus A321-200. Safety incidents in the past, such as collisions or emergency landings, have repeatedly led to discussions about the airline's safety standards. According to the Passenger Rights website, security screening is essential for airlines and airports and is regulated by strict laws.

Airport security regulations

The regulations on aviation security are anchored in Annex 17 of the ICAO and in the Aviation Security Act. These laws contain comprehensive measures to secure airport operators and examine the background to security precautions in Germany. The EU has tightened aviation security, particularly since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Control systems that airports and airlines work on must meet strict requirements, so that passenger and baggage checks are also carried out.

The incidents surrounding Jacqueline and her friends raise questions about the airlines' procedures and responsibility in exceptional circumstances. The Aviation Security Act stipulates that airlines are not liable for cancellations or delays due to extraordinary circumstances, but travelers can claim compensation under certain conditions.

The situation of Jacqueline and her friends clearly shows how important it is to find out about airline conditions and rights before traveling. While Condor continues to operate as a major player in German aviation, it remains to be seen how the airline will respond to these incidents.