Passengers refuse to board aircraft

A GROUP of passengers in Bordeaux who refused to board a plane over safety fears have finally reached their destination a day late on another flight.

The 166 travellers were due to fly to Taba in Egypt on the Tupolev, the same type of plane involved in last weekend's crash in Poland that killed the country's president and 95 others.

Half of the passengers had come to Bordeaux on a connecting flight from Deauville using the plane. They warned other travellers and the civil aviation authorities about its condition.

The plane was grounded overnight on Sunday after a safety check revealed three tyres needed replacing.

The passengers were put up in hotels, but refused to board yesterday morning, saying the dilapidated old plane was still not fit for flying.

One holidaymaker told France Info: "None of the seatbacks were stable, the whole cabin shook, there were drops of water falling from the ceiling and some unusual noises. Everyone was nervous."

The travellers were eventually moved on to another flight that took off yesterday evening and reach Egypt safely.

Tour operator Marmara, which had chartered the flight, said it was told at the last minute that the service would be run by a different operator to the one planned, using the Tupolev instead of an Airbus.

It said it would refund passengers for the day of holiday they missed.

Photo: A Polish military VIP transport Tu-154M similar to that which crashed on April 10, killing all on board. Credit: Hiuppo