A British couple’s dream wedding in Cyprus was saved by several kind-hearted members of Tui staff, who flew a bridesmaid dress from Newcastle to Paphos.
Gemma O’Shea was getting ready to tie the knot with fiance Micheal at the Coral Beach Hotel and Resort last month when one of her bridesmaids, Lauren, told her she had left her dress at home.
“Michael and me are a very laid-back couple," said O’Shea. "However, I’d put so much effort into planning the wedding and finding a dress that all four of my bridesmaids loved – so it’s safe to say I was disappointed."
O’Shea contacted her wedding planner straight away, who on 7 May posted a plea for help on a Tui staff Facebook group to see if anyone flying to Cyprus could get the dress there in time for the wedding.
The post was seen by cabin crew regional manager Sue Peak, who sprang into action despite not working that day. Peak got the dress to the airport in time for the flight to Larnaca, handing it to Tui staff who treated it as precious cargo, delivering it to the cockpit where it stayed for the whole flight.
The dress was then handed to a Tui representative in Cyprus, who drove an hour and a half to the resort to get the dress there in time for the wedding.
"When the dress arrived, I felt like a weight was lifted and I could start to enjoy my holiday without the worry always being at the back of my mind,” O’Shea said. “Because Tui has been so amazing, we’re now looking to book our honeymoon with them”.
Peak said the whole operation was testament to “how incredible our Tui staff are".