'It’s been a nightmare' - Family of six stuck in Turkey left £3,500 out of pocket to fly home

A family of six stuck in Turkey due to a UK air traffic control failure has been left £3,500 out of pocket to fly back home.

Shamila Kauser, from Rochdale, who went to Antalya with her husband, her four children and her brother and his family, said she is “stressed out” after they were due to fly home on Monday but have ended up staying five days longer than expected.

Ms Kauser, 40, who works in catering, said booking one flight for her family of six was “impossible” and that she spent £3,500 with a travel provider different to her own in an attempt to arrange the next available flight home.

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She said she has found the ordeal “a nightmare”.

Ms Kauser told the PA news agency: “I’m stressed out and very anxious. It’s been a nightmare.”

The mother-of-six found a booking setting her back more than £3,000 although she is unsure if she will be reimbursed. She took the booking because she feared she would not be able to return to the UK until September 8 due to a lack of available flights.

However, her travel provider, On The Beach, was able to find a flight at 11.55pm on Friday night for all six family members with Jet2 airlines despite them initially flying with easyJet.

She explained: “On The Beach had to book me with another airline because easyJet had no seats until September 8.

“I’ve got to go to work and the kids have to go to school, so I don’t have time to be waiting that long.”

Ms Kauser and her family originally flew from Manchester Airport to Turkey, but will now return home to Leeds Bradford Airport, which will add more travel time and expenses to get home to Rochdale.

She said: “Leeds Bradford is a lot further from me