Passengers were left screaming and throwing up after an easyJet plane was forced to divert from Gatwick to Luton as Storm Pia swept in with 113mph gales and torrential downpours, according to a report.
A row reportedly erupted between passengers and the pilot after the plane changed route due to strong gusts.
Passenger Toby Holmes, 57, told MailOnline: “People were screaming and throwing up as we tried to land. One man looked like he was having a nervous breakdown.”
Mr Holmes, who was travelling back from a trip to Budapest with his wife, said “more than half” of passengers got off the plane after it landed in Luton to refuel.
He claims that customers got into an argument with the pilot after he came across “a bit rude” and sarcastic.
“It's been a long day and everyone's a bit frustrated, it doesn't help that it's in the run-up to Christmas,” he said.
Mr Holmes said passengers who chose to depart at Luton were told they wouldn’t be entitled to compensation.
A spokesperson for easyJet said:“Due to strong winds at London Gatwick gusting outside the limits of the aircraft, flight EZY8734 from Budapest to London Gatwick yesterday evening was unable to land and so was required to divert to London Luton.
"The Captain provided passengers with the option to disembark in London Luton if they wished to, or remain on the aircraft while it refuelled before continuing the journey to London Gatwick once the weather conditions had improved.
"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this is outside of our control we would like to apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by the weather.”
Storm Pia has caused huge travel disruption across the UK this week.
Fallen trees, high seas and downed power lines, coupled with a French rail strike, sparked massive travel chaos.
Thousands of rail passengers were stuck on the line between London King's Cross and Leeds after a tree fell on to an overhead power cable near Doncaster, starting a fire. A dozen trains were backed up.
Euston station was closed due to damaged overhead lines on the West Coast Main line at Bourne End.
Meanwhile, an unexpected strike by French rail workers halted all trains through the Channel Tunnel.
French rail crews were said to be unhappy with a €1,000 Christmas bonus. They wanted €3,000. The dispute was later settled.
