Hibs’ Chief Executive Leeann Dempster has apologised to around 50 supporters who were due to travel with the club on its charter to Greece following a late cancellation of their chartered aircraft.
The airline’s late withdrawal of the plane meant Hibs faced a scramble to source another aircraft at desperately short notice, and they were only able to find one with far fewer seats.
This has meant that the club have only been able to transport the players and the rest of the club group leaving fans who expected to travel with the official party disappointed.
Full refunds will be paid, but the club is also looking to create a special matchday experience for the group at our next home match to seek to make amends.
Chief Executive Leeann Dempster said: “We are genuinely very sorry that this has happened. While it has not been due to circumstances within our control we have tried desperately but without success to find another suitable plane to take everyone.
“This morning we were informed of a flight schedule change which delayed the departure time. We were subsequently told at 3.50pm this afternoon by our charter company that the aircraft was unavailable due to staff sickness and that no suitably qualified crew were available as replacements.
“I worked in the airline business, and this situation is extremely rare and came as a shock. We, alongside the charter supplier, exhausted all avenues trying to source suitable recovery aircraft, however we could not at such an incredibly late stage find one that allowed us to take fans with us.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
