A Leeds flyer has revealed their “nightmare” experience with Ryanair after being stuck in the airport for almost 18 hours and sent to the wrong overnight hotel after the flight was eventually cancelled.
Zac Walker’s flight from Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) to Alicante was due to depart at 10.20am on Monday, June 27, he arrived at 6.30am but was stuck there until midnight. At one point, he and the rest of Ryanair’s passengers were sat on the plane on the runway for four hours, waiting for it to depart.
The 21-year-old student has spoken of how “unhelpful” Ryanair staff were, practically “locking themselves in the cockpit” and unwilling to help a woman who was bottle feeding her baby unless she paid out for bottles of water.
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Ryanair has apologised to passengers for the “inconvenience” but has offered no compensation and said delays with Air Traffic Control were the cause for the flight cancellation.
Zac, from Sheffield, said: “I won’t be flying with them again, oh no. I’ve heard bad things about them before – but I will not be booking with them again! Not a chance.
“It’s ruined part of the holiday. I’m disappointed, upset, and sort of angry really. Just by the fact there’s been no communication to us, nothing or anything like that.
“It’s been a nightmare from start to finish. Just having to look for the flight every hour and things like that. It’s been a nightmare.”
Zac, who studies at Sheffield Hallam University, arrived at the airport with his two pals Brad and Corey, at about 6.30am. Check in and security went smoothly but the flight kept being delayed for hours on end, with only the flight information display for reference and no communication from Ryanair.
'Stuck on runway for four hours'
They could finally board the aeroplane at 2.30pm – but as the plane was setting off, another calamity struck. Passengers were told there had been an “engine failure” and they’d return to the gate and would have to get off the plane – but then passengers couldn’t even get off the plane, claims Zac.
Zac said: “We were sat on the runway by the gate for about four hours. Just sat, told no information, waiting for buses to come in and pick us up. But they couldn’t get in touch with the people at the airport to get us buses to get off the plane.
“The Ryanair pilot and hostesses just went into the cockpit so no one could speak to them and ask them any questions. We were all wondering what was happening, for four hours.
“There was a lady on the flight who wanted to bottle feed her baby. She asked them for some water and they said she’d have to buy a bottle of water. They didn’t offer anything, drinks or anything, or go around checking everyone was okay. They just went into the cockpit and locked themselves away.”
When they eventually got off the plane, it took many hours again for alternative plans to be arranged for the passengers. A new flight was arranged from East Midlands Airport for about 6.30pm the following day and they’d need to stay in an overnight hotel nearby.
'Wrong hotel'
The passengers left the airport at midnight and went all the way to Long Eaton, where they arrived at 2am. Except they were initially sent to the wrong hotel, claims Zac.
More transport had to be booked and they got to the correct hotel, the Novohotel, at 2.30am - 16 hours after their flight was initially due to depart. Zac adds that Swissport did a good job supplying transport and rests the blame firmly on Ryanair.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This flight from Leeds Bradford to Alicante (28 June) was delayed due to a minor technical issue with the aircraft.
“The aircraft was inspected by Ryanair engineers who cleared the aircraft to return to service, however due to Air Traffic Control (ATC) delays at Leeds Bradford, which are entirely beyond Ryanair’s control, the flight was further delayed and subsequently cancelled.
“Hotel accommodation was provided for this passenger and they were re-accommodated on an alternative flight from East Midlands to Alicante the following day (29 June).
“Ryanair sincerely apologises to affected passengers for the inconvenience caused.”
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