Flight ‘took off empty’ due to delays at Gatwick

Passengers booked on a Vueling service from West Sussex airport said they were told plane departed with no passengers on board

Passengers booked on a flight from Gatwick to Florence were told the plane had departed empty without them because of delays at the West Sussex airport amid the widespread half-term travel chaos hitting hubs across the UK.

The Vueling flight VY6209 had been due to take off at 8.20pm on Monday, but the Airbus A319 - which can carry up to 144 passengers - left nearly two hours late with no customers on board.