THE world's biggest and most expensive passenger liner, Southampton's Queen Mary 2, arrived in the city nearly four hours late throwing travel plans for many passengers into disruption yesterday.

The delay meant that hundreds of American passengers missed their flights from London to the USA and were not able to travel back across the Atlantic until today.

Some of the 2,600 passengers expressed anger as they came ashore at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal, while others disagreed and praised the shipping line for making new travel arrangements.

Pam Conover, Cunard's president, who was travelling on the £550m QM2, said: "Some passengers have been inconvenienced and we are sorry that has happened but we are doing everything we possibly can to make their onward journeys as smooth as possible.''

Television personality Des O'Connor, one of the star entertainers on board during the voyage, said: "It's been a wonderful few days and this delay has just meant I didn't have to get up so early.''

Des, who recently announced he was to be a father again at 72, was travelling alone and had joined the ship a few days earlier in Madeira.

An angry American passenger, Dewey Gantz from Seattle, Washington, said: "I was supposed to pick up a rental car at 8.30am but now I'm left without any transport.

"I think they still have quite a few things to sort out on board.''

Aviation entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker, who had crossed from Florida to Southampton on QM2, said: "The ship is fantastic. I just wish I was able to get back on again and take another trip right now.''

A problem with the 151,400-ton Cunard liner's bow thruster as the ship left her previous port, Lisbon in Portugal, meant the vessel did not come alongside 38/9 berth in the city's Eastern Docks until 10.45am and as a result her departure was put back to 9pm.

Maintenance work was also being carried out on one of the ship's gas turbines, which would have supplied extra speed, so QM2 was not able to make up the lost time.