easyJet plane takes off leaving 29 passengers stranded in departure lounge at Spanish airport (but takes their luggage back to Britain)

easyJet left 29 passengers stranded at a Spanish airport while their plane - carrying their luggage - flew back to England without them.
The group, who had checked in on time, were steps away from board the Bristol-bound flight at the departure gate at Malaga.
They had already shown their boarding passes and were past the departure gate, ready to board.
But according to passengers, a member of the ground crew appeared and pulled a security ribbon across their path, blocking their entrance to the gangway leading onto the aircraft.

An easyJet left 29 passengers stranded at a Spanish airport while their plane - carrying their luggage - flew back to England without them

Minutes later passengers looked through a window and watched as their half-empty plane pulled away from the stand.
Flight number 6056 taxied out and took off on time at 9.15pm on Saturday without them - but with all their bags on board.
The angry passengers tried to get back into the airport departure area but found themselves trapped, locked out by security doors.
They were stuck for around 20 minutes until they managed to raise the alarm by shouting and banging on the doors.
Two staff closing a nearby perfume shop heard them and called for a cleaner who managed to unlock them, quickly followed by an easyJet rep.
They admitted they had not realised that the plane, which had 110 people on board, had left well short of passengers.
The stranded 29 were offered the option of a free night’s accommodation near the airport or a seat on the easyJet flight to Gatwick at 10.30pm.

But according to passengers, a member of the ground crew appeared and pulled a security ribbon across their path, blocking their entrance to the gangway (pictured is Malaga airport)

Ten of them spent an extra night in Spain and the rest flew back to Gatwick and made their way from there to the West Country.
A spokeswoman said the passengers' luggage and boarding passes had both been scanned before the group proceeded to the walkway.
One of those affected was computer businessman Iain Locke, 58, who was returning to Pensford, Somerset, after five days in Spain.

He said: 'I got to the airport and showed my boarding pass and then we were herded towards the aircraft and were waiting in the stairwell which leads to the walkway to get onto the plane.
'The stairwell was full and people were getting on the plane but then boarding seemed to stop.
'After wondering what was going on, I looked through the doors onto the airport apron and the plane had gone. 
'I turned round to the guy beside me and said "I don’t want to alarm you, but the plane has gone." I just couldn’t believe it.
'I’ve flown a lot and I know there are measures in place for the pilot and crew to check the correct number of passengers are on the aircraft.
'I find it unbelievable that a flight could take off with passengers missing.'

He added: 'We were banging on the doors for about 10 minutes trying to raise the alarm. It was a bit freaky being locked in there - especially for the people with young children.
'When the easyJet representative arrived, he could not believe what had happened.'
He said the group was promised they would be met by a coach at Gatwick which would take them back to Bristol.
Mr Locke arrived at Bristol Airport at 4.10am and paid £24 for a taxi to take him the final 16 miles home to Pensford.

The group, who had checked in on time, were steps away from boarding the Bristol-bound flight at the departure gate at Malaga after showing their boarding passes (pictured is Bristol airport)

An easyJet spokeswoman said the plane took off because all the passengers had shown their boarding cards at the gate which indicated they had all boarded.
She explained there was no mandatory requirement for the crew to do a visual head count of the passengers on board,
In a statement easyJet said: 'easyJet is in the process of contacting and apologising to the 29 passengers who did not board their flight from Malaga to Bristol on Saturday 5 October due to an issue at the boarding gate.
'We have launched an investigation to understand what happened and will be offering flight vouchers and a refund of onward travel arrangements from Gatwick as a gesture of goodwill to the affected passengers.
'easyJet arranged for nineteen passengers to travel on the next available service to Gatwick and arranged accommodation for ten passengers who travelled to Bristol the next day.'

They added: 'The bags were all security screened prior to being loaded onto the plane, which occurs on every flight.'