Prague stag weekend 'ruined' after 'weird' easyJet decision

Prague stag weekend 'ruined' after 'weird' easyJet decision A furious groom-to-be saw his dream Prague stag-do completely derailed at the boarding gate Imagine getting ready for your international stag party, meeting close friends and family at the airport, only for the plans to unravel before you’ve even left British soil. That was the nightmare situation for one groom-to-be who saw his Prague celebration grounded after a 'weird' easyJet decision. Lauren Gillett took to social media on Saturday (June 27) to share her frustrations on behalf of her "good friend". She explained that the group had been split by the disruption, with half stranded in the Czech capital and the remaining four left in the UK. According to the thread shared on X, the easyJet flight to Prague was reportedly cancelled due to a "lack of crew", a decision Lauren described as "really sad". She added that the 6.10pm flight was cancelled at around 8pm. Lauren continued: "The groom, best man and 2 other stags now can’t make it out. 3 stags already in Prague - stag is completely ruined. They were flying from Gatwick Airport, and there were no other flights out that night. "They were directed to the easyJet app to wait for options which were a free flight within 24 hours - too late - an easyJet voucher, or a full refund." Despite scrambling to get them rebooked to Stansted Airport, her efforts would bear no fruit as all seats on board were booked. "The only other flights would have got them there tonight which gives them less than a day in Prague," she said. This incident reflects a wider pattern of short-notice disruptions that can affect high-volume European budget routes during peak travel periods. According to data compiled by compensation firm AirHelp, easyJet has previously faced operational strain that has contributed to multiple cancellations across its regional network. Research cited by aviation analysts at OAG suggests that crew shortages and tightly packed schedules can leave low-cost carriers with limited flexibility when disruption occurs. Industry experts say these pressures can create a knock-on "domino effect", sometimes forcing last-minute cancellations to prevent wider delays. Under UK261 passenger rights rules, travellers affected by cancellations are typically entitled to re-routing or financial compensation. However, consumer groups note that pay-outs often fail to cover non-refundable accommodation costs or the wider impact of disrupted milestone trips. Lauren added: "It feels incredibly sad that the groom now doesn’t get a stag weekend because you didn’t have staff and decided to abandon a whole flight full of people. Thank god they’ve got insurance and they better get compensation but that doesn’t change the fact the groom has no stag. "Add to that the 3 lads already out there who don’t know each other and their weekend is ruined to. The activities they’ve paid for that they won’t be able to get money back for and accommodation they can’t cancel due to the lateness of the cancellation - really crap, easyJet." An easyJet spokesperson told The Mirror: "Fight EZY8783 from London Gatwick to Prague on June 26 was unable to operate due to weather-related air traffic control restrictions leading to the crew reaching their safety regulated hours. "We did all possible to minimise the impact of the disruption for our customers, providing options to rebook or receive a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required. "The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused ."