PHUKET: Hundreds of stranded airline passengers on Phuket today were left to complain about lack of information and wonder when they would be heading for home.

Holidaymakers from Italy, Switzerland Norway, Austria, Germany and other European countries criticised the lack of information from Etihad Airlines in a developing crisis that began on Saturday and continued with a second flight cancellation yesterday.

Frank Sander said his family had hoped to fly to Frankfurt from Abu Dhabi on a connecting flight, just like about 600 others from the two cancelled flights who had to be accommodated on overcrowded Phuket.

''They play with us and they lie to us,'' he told Phuketwan today from the Dara Hotel in Phuket City. ''We were due to leave on Saturday and instead we were bussed from the Phuket airport to the hotel.

''We are still waiting for someone from Etihad to tell us what is happening.

''We were supposed to be given information at 11am, 3pm and 4pm yesterday. Nobody from Etihad showed up.''

Honorary consuls based on Phuket for European countries have been dealing with calls from frustrated passengers, but also know nothing abiout Etihad's plans.

Today at the Dara Hotel, scores of disgruntled passengers sought information from reception.

''The passengers can stay one more night but then they have to move out,'' said hotel management.

Some guests had already made alternative bookings with other airlines. However, because it's peak season, seats off Phuket on flights are difficult to find.

The flights have been cancelled because of the weather around Abu Dhabi, passengers say they have been told.

Mr Sander, a diabetic, said he had plenty of medication with him but he was extremely concerned for other passengers with chronic ailments and families with young children.

It's not clear yet whether the aircraft in Saturday's cancelled flight returned to Abu Dhabi empty, as some passengers claim.