Flight to nowhere: 32-hour ordeal ends with passengers back in Zurich after failed landings in Crete

After 32 hours and 3 failed landings, the holiday flight does not end in Greece… but where it began.

What was meant to be a routine 3-hour flight from Zurich to Crete turned into a 32-hour travel nightmare for 137 passengers aboard Condor flight DE1234 on 24 May (Airbus A320 registered D-AICA). Instead of enjoying the beaches of Heraklion, travellers found themselves back where they started — in Zurich.

The ordeal began with a 30-minute departure delay, but things quickly worsened. Upon arrival in Crete, the flight attempted multiple landings, all of which failed due to poor weather conditions, leaving many passengers feeling nauseous and anxious.

After three failed landing attempts, the flight was diverted — not to another Greek island or a nearby airport — but to Athens.

From Athens, it tried again to reach Heraklion, but was diverted to Kos, from where it took off to … Thessaloniki.

The next morning, passengers thought they would finally fly to their intended destination, but after trying again to land at Heraklion, the flight was diverted again to Athens.

Eventually, the Airbus A320 returned to Zurich, its point of origin. Passengers spent over a full day in transit, only to end up right back where they had started, without ever touching the soil of Crete.

The incident has drawn criticism for how the situation was handled, particularly the decision not to reroute the passengers to an alternative nearby destination.

A dream for avgeeks, but a nightmare for holidaygoers.