Scores of British Airways passengers were waiting in limbo in Amsterdam last night after attempts to get them back to the UK yesterday morning were unsuccessful.

According to a BA spokesperson, Gatwick Airport was reopened yesterday after closing on Wednesday morning and the flight from Bermuda that diverted to Amsterdam arrived in London at 1.42 p.m. yesterday with crew only. The Royal Gazette understands scores of passengers from the packed BA Flight 2233 have no definite idea of when they would return to the UK.

Passenger Kimberley Caines, 25, told this paper that after waiting in the Amsterdam airport from 6 a.m. yesterday morning, UK bound passengers were finally seated on two planes with passengers from other countries around noon.

After waiting in their seats for two to three hours the pilot told them the flight was unable to leave for Gatwick and that BA would be giving them another night of accommodation. They spent another two hours waiting for their baggage to unload, she explained.

Ms Caines, a law student in London, said yesterday: "It started snowing again supposedly at Gatwick. I guess (the pilot) made a decision he wasn't going to fly so we are all now here at the Holiday Inn in Amsterdam and we have been given a new flight number for (this) morning #2036.

"That's due to depart Amsterdam to London Gatwick at 10 a.m. but things are still up in the air."

She said: "We were at that airport for about 12 hours between getting there in the morning and leaving. I think people are just tired. A lot of people had connecting flights and other plans, which have just fallen through."

Other passengers like Karen Nagel made alternative travel plans at their own expense to get back to the UK today. But even those were not definite, with UK airports including Heathrow, Birmingham, Luton and Southampton all experiencing severe delays and cancellations.

Mrs. Nagel, who was travelling with her three children ages 7,13 and 15, also took two other schoolchildren under her wing throughout the ordeal.

She said: "Who wants to just sit around and see (what happens). I just wasn't willing to put it to chance. So my husband called up the airline and we have had to pay for tickets for tomorrow to fly back. We are going through Heathrow because Gatwick still seems to be chaotic."

According to Mrs. Nagel, staff at the Amsterdam airport did not provide passengers with enough information about what was going on. Throughout the morning the flight gates changed numerous times and at both the gate entrance and baggage claim there was no access to food or water for hours on end.

"I just feel a little bit let down. I would have expected more, a little more caring approach especially into our second day. But on the plane (staff were) absolutely exceptional. They were very kind and doing the utmost. I think everyone just wanted to be on the plane all the time."

Gatwick Airport was open yesterday, however only two BA flights including the Bermuda and St. Lucia planes departed from the airport said local BA representative Sallie Singleton.

BA flights to and from Gatwick operated last night however there were severe delays. She said: "This has been a really dreadful day for people and we are really sorry it happened. But it's not just BA, it's now many other airlines in the UK and Europe as well."

"We are sorry about the inconvenience caused and would like to thank our customers for their patience."

For the most up to date travel information visit the BA website at www.ba.com.