P&O Cruises has issued a statement after hundreds of passengers were left stranded in Mallorca following a crash. 

The Southampton-based cruise company has booked flights for 231 passengers who are due to land in Birmingham this afternoon.

MV Britannia reportedly collided with a freight vessel after breaking free from its moorings during a storm on Sunday afternoon.

Since then, guests who couldn't be flown back to the UK due to Monday's air traffic control chaos have been staying in hotels on the island.

A number of them have since complained of poor conditions, with Alan and Rosemary Biddulph, from Hythe, telling the BBC they had been moved into a "hell-hole".

A spokesperson for P&O said: "As a result of the consequences from the terrible weather that Mallorca experienced on Sunday 27 August, demand for hotels on the island has been extremely high.

"While we have sought to fly guests back to the UK as quickly as possible, this has been challenging with high demand for flights and the knock-on impact of the technical difficulties experienced by UK air traffic control services on Monday 28 August."

The company says The BelleVue Club Hotel was the only option that could accommodate all the guests who left Britannia early.

P&O said it was “extremely sorry” that a “small” number of guests had problems with their rooms.

"We have been working tirelessly to resolve them," the statement added.

READ MORE: Hundreds of passengers have to fly home early after cruise liner collision

P&O says guests booked in on a full board basis have also been provided with an additional £45 per person daily allowance for food and drink outside the hotel.

Guests will be reimbursed on their return to the UK with proof of receipts. 

“While the last few days have been extremely challenging, we are doing everything we can to get those who have left Britannia early home as quickly and smoothly as possible,” the spokesperson said.

All 231 passengers are expected to arrive in Birmingham this afternoon.

P&O said those who drove to Southampton to embark Britannia will be taken back to the city while those who arrived independently will have arrangements made to transfer them home.

Passengers who left the cruise early will also be eligible for a refund for the days they missed and will be offered a 20 per cent discount on future bookings.

Britannia left Mallorca on Monday evening with no structural issues and will be arriving in Southampton on Friday as planned.