BY MARK McKELVEY

m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com

A RETIRED Fintona couple's trip to Glasgow quickly turned from celebration to nightmare as they were caught up in the terrorist attack on Glasgow airport on Saturday evening, having to spend that night sitting in a hotel lounge with hundreds of other stranded travellers.

Pat (62) and Mary (58) McLaughlin were only 150 yards away when the terrorist believed to be a doctor with middle eastern descent crashed a green Jeep Cherokee loaded with gas cylinders into the doors of Glasgow Airport's main terminal and burst into flames. Thankfully the bomb did not explode, saving those inside the terminal from serious injury or death.

The couple were returning home after spending a few day's in Glasgow attending their youngest daughter's graduation ceremony when the failed terrorist attack occurred.

Speaking after they eventually returned home safely on Tuesday night, Pat expressed that they "were too close for comfort" when the attack happened.

"We had walked up past were the car crashed into the airport just a few minutes before hand," said Pat. "At Glasgow airport when you check in you then have to then turn back on yourself to get to departures, so we were walking towards that direction when we heard this bang and the commotion started. We were only about a 150 yards from the action when it happened and we could see the smoke."

Pat explained that at first everyone remained calm as no one realised it was a terrorist attack.

"Despite all the police and fire engines, people generally remained calm as I must say they handled it very well and efficiently as they evacuated the airport very quickly.

"Initially people were saying it was a taxi that had went on fire, which is probably why there was less panic. It was only when we were ushered over to the nearby Holiday Express that we found out it was a terrorist attack, which caused an awful lot of commotion."

Pat and Mary would have had to pass the car to get to departures, but never got that far as all flights were cancelled for the rest of Saturday.

With all flights cancelled, the Fintona couple only managed to get home on Tuesday night, having to pay for another flight.

"I just wish Easyjet was as courteous as those in the hotel as they provided us with no information," said Pat. "We returned on Sunday morning and queued for over three and a half hours before we were told there was only one flight and it was booked up, so we went back into Glasgow at that stage to stay with our daughter."

Meanwhile, Pat and Mary's other daughter Mairead and her fiancé had managed to get as far as the plane, and were getting ready to take off for Italy when the attack happened, forcing them to sit on the plane for seven and a half hours before getting the go ahead to fly.

Pat explained that this experience has certainly not deterred him from flying in the near future.

"I will certainly fly again. I won't let terrorist threats like this stop me, you have to be able to travel and incidents like wont change our lifestyle," concluded Pat.