



Staff at hotels in Tunisia were in tears after the announcement by the Foreign Office that British tourists should leave the country, holidaymakers said as they returned to Stansted after an emergency flight from Enfidha on Friday evening.



Although the Thomas Cook customers who flew into the London airport said they were glad to be home, several called the FCO’s decision to advise against all travel to the country an “overreaction” and said they had wished to stay but were told all subsequent flights were being cancelled.

Clive and Janine Spooner at Stansted airport after returning from Tunisia. Photograph: Jessica Elgot/The Guardian

Chris Lee, 53, from Northern Ireland, told the Guardian he had seen “wall-to-wall security all the way” since the 26 June attack on a beach resort in Sousse by Tunisian Seifeddine Rezgui, in which 38 people died, the majority of whom were British tourists.

“Tunisia was fantastic,” Lee said. “I really feel for the staff, they were in floods of tears when they heard we were being sent home. They’ll all be laid off in the hotel, the tourist trade is murdered. Even when we were there they were cutting down the buffet options, the entertainment.”

Danny Tappin and Kirsty Horsfall with children Alfie and Amelia at Stansted airport. Photograph: Jessica Elgot/The Guardian

He said some tourists had arrived late on Thursday, and told they had to go home almost immediately. “They had breakfast and went home again. But people don’t want to go home, they wanted to take the risk. But all the flights are being cancelled so they can’t stay. The communication all round has been terrible.”

Many had managed to enjoy some semblance of a holiday before they were told to fly home. Danny Tappin, 30, from Malden, said his three-year-old daughter had begged to stay longer. “We’ve been there 10 days, it’s been absolutely lovely, we felt very secure, there were armed guards everywhere, checking the beach every night, but it’s also good to be home safe. We feel that they brought us home for a reason, so I’m happy.”

Alex Neve-Vince and Amy Robinson at Stansted airport after returning from Tunisia. Photograph: Jessica Elgot/The Guardian

His partner Kirsty Horsfall, 27, holding her one-year-old son Alfie, said the family were determined to return. “We went there last time and it was during the revolution and we felt safe then. The staff are incredible, it’s heart-breaking. Even for the Thomas Cook staff, it’s really sad for them, they love it there.”

Clive Spooner, 54, from Ipswich, said he had felt the effects of the tragedy a fortnight ago during his stay at the Sahara Beach hotel, close to where the shooting took place. “We were there for a minute’s silence, there were a fair few tears shed. I feel for people still there, with all the Brits flying home. And I feel a lot for the staff too, you can see in their eyes, they’re devastated.”

Alex Neve-Vince and his girlfriend Amy Robinson, both from Ipswich, were on their first holiday together, and arrived just after the tragedy. “They have overreacted a little bit,” Robinson said of the FCO advice.

Chris Lee at Stansted airport after returning from Tunisia. Photograph: Jessica Elgot/The Guardian

“The same thing happened in Paris and no one stopped people flying out there. The same thing happened in Kuwait. Why are they eliminating Tunisia compared to all these other countries? England are on red alert now, same as Tunisia, but people are still flying to England.”



Both said they were frustrated with their treatment on the way home. “We were all bundled in a lounge together, we had to fly first to Manchester and then to here. No one from the airline told us what was going on, they pushed us to one side. We kept going up to ask but were told nothing,” said Robinson.

Neve-Vince said the evacuation of tourists had “crippled the country”. “We’d definitely go back to Tunisia,” he said. “It’s not the country’s fault, all everyone did was apologise to us, for something that’s not their fault.”