A pregnant mum had her flights cancelled so many times due to Covid she will now have to give birth in Madeira, more than 1,500 miles from home.
Laura Coppard, 38, and her one-year-old daughter Lily flew out to the Portuguese island on December 16, 2020, so Lily could see her father who lives there.
The pregnant mother had a return flight booked to Gatwick Airport with easyJet on February 5, but this was cancelled.
The airline said it was because of a flight ban between the UK and Portugal from January 15, including Madeira, My London reports.
On February 9, it was announced that UK residents returning from 'red list' countries would have to quarantine in an assigned hotel room for 10 days, and Madeira was included.
The £1,750 hotel charge to quarantine on return to the UK was a worry for Laura, but this has not yet materialised. Instead, Laura had multiple flights cancelled and has had to spend money staying in cheap hostels in Madeira.
The full-time mum from East Sussex said: "It's been very stressful. I've had to move between different accommodations [due to letting limitations]. And I've got a one-year-old. She's missed a few of her injections that she was meant to have in the UK.
"I'm absolutely massive. I've got a pushchair and everywhere is hills. I can't stay at my partner's mum house because they're overcrowded as it is."
While Laura said she was not made aware of the most recent cancellation, she was offered a flight from Lisbon, but said this would have involved two flights and a 25-hour wait in the airport in between.
"When you've got a 1-year-old, you don't really fancy sitting in the airport for 25 hours," she added.
"I haven't got anything for the baby. Nothing. It's all at home. You don't know who to go to for help, who to ask."
Speaking about giving birth away from home, she said: "I'm petrified."
Laura has to have a caesarean, and will not be able to see her little girl for four to five days.
"And then of course after you've had a caesarean you can't travel for a few weeks or months after," she said, "I'll have to get the baby registered, and the baby's passport.
"I honestly don't know when I'm going to get home. It's just a nightmare."
Madeira came off the red list on March 19 meaning arrivals to the UK will no longer have to quarantine in a hotel.
But when Laura spoke to a midwife in Madeira on Tuesday she was told it was unsafe for her to fly home now she is 34 weeks pregnant.
"There are no flights now until May," she said, "but it's no good for me now anyway."
A statement from easyJet said: “Following the UK Government’s implementation of a flight ban on international travel followed by a flight ban between the UK and Portugal including Madeira from 15 January, we were unable to operate and so put in place a rolling cancellation programme.
"We notified any customers who were affected by this and provided them with their options. As a result of the flight cancellations, Miss Coppard was offered the option of transferring to an alternative flight free of charge which she opted for twice and she subsequently opted for a refund for her flight to the UK.
"Unfortunately at no point did she make us aware of her circumstances or reason for travelling to the UK.
"Once we were made aware and given her circumstances we have explored options for flights with other airlines but unfortunately have been unable to find any alternative flights for her, however, we have been in contact with her and if she is able to make alternative arrangements to travel to the UK in the coming days we have offered to reimburse her as a gesture of goodwill."
