Federal police were called in to ensure the safety of Tiger Airways staff after a planeload of Melbourne-bound passengers were told they would be stranded in Hobart for three days.
Disgruntled passenger Mike Waters said the 9.15pm flight to Melbourne from Hobart was cancelled on Friday night when an air steward became ill.
He said passengers were initially told the flight would still be departing but after a two-hour wait were then told to go to the Tiger Airways ticketing desk where about five police officers were standing guard.
The passengers were informed the next available flight home would be Monday and were taken to stay in a hotel about 20 kilometres from Hobart.
Mr Waters said among the 270 frustrated passengers was a best man who missed his friend's wedding and a woman who was due to start a new job today.
The 58-year-old said he and his wife had been on a two-day visit to relatives and he was left in Hobart without his diabetes and blood pressure medication, a change of clothes, or access to shops.
Instead, the couple had to fork out money to pay for the four-star hotel accommodation and dining.
Mr Waters said according to Tiger Airways compensation form it could be up to two months before he receive a refund which would probably not cover the $500 he was now out of pocket.
Asked if he would ever fly Tiger again, Mr Waters said "absolutely not".
"I was a great believer in Tiger and had flown four or five times, I told everyone they were great," he said.
"They seem to do the flight OK when it runs well but there is no contingency plan in an emergency."
Mr Waters and his wife returned to their Croydon home last night after paying for a Virgin Blue flight.
Tiger Airways is believed to be issuing a statement about the incident later today.
Another angry passenger told The Age that police were called in to calm about 100 Tiger Airways passengers left waiting more than five hours at Sydney Airport yesterday.
The passenger said about 100 Melbourne-bound passengers became irate when Tiger staff could not explain the reason for their delayed flight which was due to take off just before 4pm.
He said airport security and police arrived to calm the quell the rising tension as passengers demanded answers.
By Mex Cooper