Passengers of axed Tigerair flight kicked out of Gold Coast Airport to sleep rough overnight

GOLD Coast tourists were forced to sleep outside Gold Coast Airport ‘like beggars’ after a festive flight cancellation, with one MP calling it a ‘terrible look’.

Stranded Tigerair travellers sleep outside Gold Coast Airport terminal overnight on December 29 after an official kicked them out while the airport shut from 10.30pm to 4.30am. Photo: Jay Gadhavi

FOREIGN tourists have been forced to sleep outside Gold Coast Airport terminal “like beggars”, with one slamming it as “inhumane” treatment during peak festive season.

Indian couple Jay and his wife Gargi Gadhavi were among at least 10 stranded Tigerair passengers who slept rough on December 29 after an airport official kicked them out at 10.30pm.

Photos show the passengers snatching sleep on tables and the ground outside the terminal, with Mr Gadhavi saying they weren’t allowed back in until it reopened at 4.30am.

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Stranded travellers sleep outside Gold Coast Airport. Photo: Jay Gadhavi

The LNP’s Shadow Commonwealth Games Minister John-Paul Langbroek called it a “terrible look” and scenario needing addressing ahead of the Games in April.

The holidaying Gadhavis were due to fly Gold Coast-Sydney but their 7.25pm flight was cancelled after weather-related complications in Melbourne delayed the arrival of their aircraft.

Mr Gadhavi, a 31-year-old Dubai-based engineer, said they were unable to find Coast accommodation and prepared to bed down in the terminal when an “airport officer” kicked them out at 10.30pm.

Jay (right) and Gargi Gadhavi during their holiday on the Gold Coast just after Christmas. They had a great three days but say their departure via Gold Coast Airport — where their Tigerair flight was cancelled at night — left a sour taste when the airport kicked them and other stranded passengers out at 10.30pm to shut the terminal. They had to spend six hours sleeping rough outside until it reopened at 4.30am

“Most of the hotels were fully booked, we had no choice but to spend the night at the airport. We were told by an airport officer we had to leave and stay outside the whole night until they again open it next morning.

“We requested an exception,” Mr Gadhavi said, adding the “rude” officer was unmoved and they joined 40-50 people who had to leave the terminal’s relative comfort.

“We were given five minutes to take our bags and move out. Some were not even allowed to use the toilet before we go.”

Mr Gadhavi said it was the only let down of a great three-day visit which included Sky Point at the Surfers Paradise Q1 tower and Dreamworld.

“We all had to spend the night outside. People had to sleep on the floor like beggars. We would have never expected such inhumane behaviour from the airport authority.”

Airport chief operating officer Marion Charlton said CCTV suggested “a small number of people slept outside” the terminal.

Gold Coast Airport chief operating officer Marion Charlton: “ ... a small number of people slept outside”. Photo: Steve Holland

“It appears the remainder of passengers have found accommodation. If advised of a cancellation, the airport’s duty managers will provide assistance to passengers seeking accommodation and in the event of a large group of people being displaced by a cancelled flight and no suitable accommodation being available, the terminal can remain open, permitting passengers to stay inside overnight,” she said.

Asked if there was a threshold for the number of stranded passengers before the airport stayed open, she said: “There is no set number, each occasion is assessed on a case-by-case basis based on the passengers’ circumstances as well as the availability of accommodation.”

Some airlines would provide assistance to passengers in such an instance but policies varied, she said.

Gold Coast MP and Shadow Commonwealth Games Minister John Paul Langbroek: “It’s a very poor look, it’s terrible, when you look at the number of international airports around the world where things happen and people don’t get booted out.” Picture: Adam Head

Mr Langbroek said: “It’s a very poor look, it’s terrible, when you look at the number of international airports around the world where things happen and people don’t get booted out.

“What happens during the Games? These are the sort of contingencies that need to be planned for.”

A Tigerair statement said all passengers were offered refunds on tickets but not helped with accommodation as the flight cancellation was due to weather outside airline control.

The aircraft was delayed in Melbourne earlier in the day by Air Traffic Control due to weather, the statement said.

“As a result, the aircraft would have arrived into Gold Coast Airport late and subsequently been unable to meet curfew requirements at Sydney Airport later that evening.

“Tigerair sincerely apologises to affected passengers for the inconvenience and did everything possible to get everyone to their destination as soon as possible, however recovery options were severely limited due to the peak travel period.”