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Holiday operator TUI has apologised after flight cancellations left Northern Ireland tourists stranded on the Greek island of Rhodes.

It comes as holidaymakers who were due to travel back to Belfast on July 20 were met with long delays and eventually cancelled flights.

Carrickfergus man Thomas Haighton travelled to the holiday hotspot on Wednesday, July 12 with his in-laws, Robert and Shirley Huddleston, as well as his children Leah and Lewis. The family were expecting to return to Belfast the following Thursday, July 20.

"We had a brilliant holiday while we were there, but when we went to go home on the Thursday, we got a message when we were already in departures to say there was a delay with the flight,” Thomas said. “Then, we were told the flight was cancelled due to a technical issue with the plane."

Carrickfergus man Thomas Haighton with Robert Huddleston, Leah Haighton, Shirley Huddleston and Lewis Haighton on the Greek island of Rhodes. Photo: Thomas Haighton

The family were given accommodation for the night in a hotel some 45 minutes away, the standard of which Thomas said they were “happy” with, before returning to the airport the following day.

"We checked our bags in again, went through security again and got to the gate, then everyone was just standing there waiting and waiting,” the local man said.

"We were then told that the flight had been cancelled, again. Everyone was so disappointed; the kids were crying. The reps were standing around, but the communication from them was terrible.”

The local family were further dismayed by the alternative accommodation offered by TUI on the night of the second cancellation. “The hotel we were sent to was disgusting; the toilets were dirty and there were dead insects lying around,” Thomas claimed.

Travel firm TUI has apologised to NI holidaymakers who experienced flight delays and cancellations in Rhodes. Photo: Adobe

“They kept throwing vouchers at us [for food] but the only place we could use them was a sandwich shop. It was horrible and we didn’t want to stay, so we decided to go back to the airport instead. My wee boy ended up sleeping on the floor there.”

The family finally departed for Belfast in the early hours of Saturday, July 22.

However, the experience left Thomas and his family unwilling to use the operator’s services in future. "We wouldn’t travel with them again,” he said. “I know with the recent wildfires the situation could have been a lot worse, but we still feel TUI could have done more. If the communication from them had been better, there wouldn’t have been as much hassle.”

East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson said the situation that had unfolded in

Travel firm apologises after Northern Ireland holidaymakers left stranded in Rhodes