A fed-up Erin Harris, 7, with parents Wayne and Debi, behind, missed out on a trip to Lapland to see Santa because of confusion over boarding their flight at Gatwick. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0691724)

A FAMILY holiday of a lifetime was ruined after an airport mix-up left them stranded at Gatwick.

Seven-year-old Erin Harris received an invitation in November to visit Lapland before Christmas.

Erin flew from Guernsey to Gatwick on 10 December with parents Debbi and Wayne.

They checked in on time for their flight to Rovaniemi the following day and waited in the departure lounge.

‘There were delays due to ice on the runways, so we were told to check the departure boards regularly,’ said Mrs Harris. We sat and listened and checked constantly.’

When their flight details came up on the board, the family saw no additional comments or directions, so they continued to wait. After waiting for half an hour, the departure board flashed up with a ‘gate closing’ sign.

‘We ran as fast as we could to the gate,’ said Mrs Harris. ‘But when we got there we were told we were too late and that we could not board. As you can imagine, all the children were crying and the adults weren’t that far off either.

The only comments made by gate staff were that other families had made it, so it must be our fault.’

The Harris’s were joined by another family, who had also missed the flight. According to ground staff, eleven calls had been put out for them to come to the gate, of which five referred to the family by name.

‘I swear we heard no such announcements and neither did the other family who were left behind,’ said Mrs Harris.

However, the airline, Jet2, has said that as a chartered flight it was not up to them to update the boards.