Bleary-eyed passengers hoping to catch a convenient early morning flight from Norwich were instead sent to London.

A TUI Airways flight was scheduled to leave the Fine City for Dalaman in Turkey at 6.50am yesterday.

But holidaymakers were sent to Gatwick Airport instead where the TOM582 departed on Monday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for TUI said: "We can confirm flight TOM582 departed from Gatwick Airport due to crew sickness.

"We communicated with customers via text messages, transport was arranged from Norwich Airport and ground handlers assisted customers at Gatwick Airport and provided refreshments."

Norwich Evening News: Many TUI passengers have been diverted to Gatwick this summerMany TUI passengers have been diverted to Gatwick this summer (Image: Josh Kerridge)

Stuart Julio Addis, who works at the Holiday Inn next to Norwich Airport, said he saw fed up holidaymakers waiting outside the terminal building at the time the flight was supposed to be taking off.

He added: "The Sunwing aircraft was stood there not looking very active and the holidaymakers were not looking too pleased."

TUI flights out of Norwich Airport are operated by Sunwing on behalf of TUI Airways using pilots from the outsource company.

It came just hours after the announcement that the TUI TOM583 flight from Dalaman - which was originally due to land at Norwich Airport at 3.40pm on Monday - landed at Gatwick on Tuesday morning instead.

An email sent to customers on the TOM583 flight - which has been shared with the Evening News - said the airline has arranged a gift voucher for each person to use for refreshments within the airport.

It adds: "This delay is due to a combination of factors causing significant operational disruption.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Among the passengers on the most recently delayed flight was Janine Bell and her schoolfriend Geraldine Moss, who had already seen their flight out cancelled on the runway on Saturday, September 2.

Norwich Evening News: Geraldine Moss with her friend Janine BellGeraldine Moss with her friend Janine Bell (Image: Geraldine Moss)

Ms Moss said: "I wasn't surprised when it was cancelled but the thought of being stuck abroad with such poor communication is quite worrying."

It comes after TUI planes to and from Norwich have also been diverted variously to Cardiff, Belfast, East Midlands Airport, Doncaster and Aberdeen this summer.