More than 100 passengers have been forced to sleep at a ferry terminal and a local gym after Jetstar cancelled their flight to Sydney from Hamilton Island.

They were due to fly out last night, but were instead ushered on a ferry back to Airlie Beach.

It’s understood the airline struggled to find accommodation for them, that the local council provided emergency accommodation.

A spokesperson for Jetstar says they apologise and deeply regret the extreme disruption passengers experienced.

One of the travellers caught up in the nightmare trip, Ellie Cunning, says there were a few issues when they boarded the plane.

“Basically [they] ushered us off the plane, said to wait by the carousel .. there was a Jetstar representative there who didn’t make an announcement to everybody, just stood there waiting for people to come up to her and told us all we needed to get on the ferry to Airlie Beach, providing really no further information other than the fact that someone would be on the other side to help us arrange accommodation, travel things like that.”

She said the ferry ride to Airlie Beach was dark, and stormy, packed in with bemused travellers.

Passengers believed that they would be given accommodation at Airlie Beach.

“The ferry staff didn’t know what was going on either, complete disaster,” she said.

They ended up sleeping at a gym, organised by the local council.

A local fish and chip shop and a Dominoes pizza shop also organised some dinner.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the nightmare trip

A statement provided to me by @JetstarAirways re cancellation of JQ849. The Airlie Beach community came to the rescue organising transport, emergency accommodation and free food for the stranded passengers. @9NewsAUS @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/QHua8XNtmm

— Olivia Grace-Curran (@livgracecurran) July 5, 2022

Image: Olivia Grace-Curran, Nine News