A couple who were "stranded" in another country spoke of the "horrific experience" as they were forced to share a room with strangers.
The ECHO previously reported on passengers being "stranded and shafted" after a WizzAir flight was aborted from Bulgaria, leaving tourists fearing they would be unable to get home. Colin Moore, of Netherton, who was away with his partner Joanne, spoke of the "horrific ordeal".
Having booked a holiday through Love Holidays from Liverpool to Bulgaria on September 20, the pair could not wait to spend a much needed break away together. But after a "lovely" holiday, they could not have guessed the "ordeal" about to happen.
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He told the ECHO the "nightmare" began when they were due to fly home to Liverpool John Lennon Airport from Bulgaria on September 27 but it was cancelled following a bird strike. He said: "We had a great time in Bulgaria but just as we were due to take off a bird went through the wing and it blew up in flames.
"The pilot slammed on and everyone went into panic mode and everyone went into the brace position. But from that point it was hell, we were left with no information or anything, there for three hours.
"Another five hours later they were trying to organise alternative flights but every plane was full, we are then told we wouldn't get home until October and our only option was to stay in the airport until then. We pleaded and begged and after 18 hours in the airport with no food or water, we were eventually told we would be taken to Bucharest.
"Kids were crying, staff were getting antsy and we just wanted answers. It took us four hours then to get through border control, still without food or water and getting very stressed but we were eventually told we could fly home on September 29 and in the meantime get our heads down at a hotel."
However, the stress continued when the group were told the hotel "had no rooms" and there had been "no communication from WizzAir to anyone." Colin added: "We were trying to call and going round in circles.
"The lady at the hotel took pity on us in the end and said she could give us an old staff room but we would have to share it between five or six of us but we were knackered so we said yes. We were all cramped in this tiny room with no bed sheets.
"The next day we were given another room so we could spread out a bit but it was a horrendous experience. We just wanted answers. It was cramped and we were stuck there with nothing.
"All passengers were split, some people were told to sleep in the airport for days. Our ticket, despite being told it would be September 29, actually said October 29 so we were stressing to sort that out."
However, Colin and Joanne, along with others, were eventually able to fly home on September 29, two days after their original scheduled flight and from another country. Colin said it was "hell" and a "rigmarole trying to sort things out while left in the dark."
He told the ECHO: "Luckily, we all banded together as a group and were able to help one another but the experience was awful. We have made friends for life so that is one good thing to come out of it but we were absolutely shattered.
"We were in the middle of a place we didn't know, with nothing. My Mrs was shaking on the plane, people were having panic attacks. I saw the wing when the bird strike happened and I've been jumping up of a night since, waking up thinking I'm still on the plane.
"Not knowing what was happening we were just left sitting there, not even given a bottle of water and we were getting told to go away. It's made me not want to fly with WizzAir again.
"It was a disaster, the whole thing, but we have made some good mates from it."
The ECHO previously reported how one passenger, Steven Fludder, said everyone was "confused and panicking", as he said: "Everyone went at least 12 hours without food or drink, we were never offered it at all in the end. One of the older men was shaking and being sick from hunger."
The WizzAir flight was cancelled last minute following the unexpected air strike. The airline has been approached for comment.
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