LOW-cost airline easyJet apologised to its customers after thousands of holidaymakers, including scores in Newcastle, were left stranded.
Forty aircraft - including two in Newcastle - were grounded due to an administrative error, the airline said.
The planes were grounded for about two hours early on Saturday because insurance documents were not in place for the aircraft.
Passengers at Luton and Stansted airports were particularly hard hit and in Liverpool two in seven planes were affected. The blunder was discovered at about 6.30am on Saturday and affected flights from Tyneside to Belfast and Nice, France.
An easyJet spokesman said: "Basically, there was an insurance documentation mess-up this morning whereby insurance renewal documents were not physically placed on the aircraft. Unlike car insurance, aircraft documents have to be physically on the plane for inspection."
He said all planes were now flying normally, and added: "We apologise greatly to anyone affected."
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