Condor Passengers Endure 32-Hour Flight to Nowhere Due to Winds

Passengers on a Condor flight endured a grueling 32-hour ordeal after repeated failed attempts to land in Greece forced the aircraft to return home. Condor flight DE1234 departed Zurich on May 24, bound for Heraklion, Crete, but extreme weather turned the routine 1,198-mile trip into a frustrating odyssey, according to One Mile At A Time.

After departing 30 minutes late, the flight initially proceeded smoothly. However, as the aircraft approached Crete, strong winds prevented a safe landing. The crew diverted to Athens to refuel, landing three hours after leaving Zurich. A second attempt to reach Heraklion failed again, leading to another diversion to Kos for refueling.

As fuel levels dropped again, the crew redirected to Thessaloniki, landing 11 hours after the original departure. After an overnight stay, passengers re-boarded the flight the next morning for one final attempt. Unfortunately, wind conditions remained unfavorable, forcing the plane into a holding pattern before diverting once again to Athens. With no safe landing possible, the crew finally returned to Zurich, completing a 32-hour trip that never reached its destination.

Throughout the ordeal, passengers made five separate landings and were only offered water on board. Many became ill during turbulent approaches, and flyers had to cover their hotel stays in Thessaloniki, though compensation is expected under European aviation regulations.

This incident echoes a similar 2023 British Airways flight that turned back mid-Atlantic due to technical issues, highlighting the unpredictable nature of air travel when weather and safety collide.

Related News: https://airguide.info/?s=condor

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com