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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Rachel Keenan

Ryanair apologises after Edinburgh passengers left sitting on hard floor for hours

Fed up families were left sitting on a hard floor for hours after a Ryanair flight was delayed returning to Edinburgh from Valencia.

The flight was delayed due to bad weather and storms but passengers said they were left in the dark with staff not willing to share information.

READ MORE - BBC Weather Edinburgh: 21C blast and sunshine to hit capital amid UK-wide heatwave

Traveller Fee Macgregor received no communication from the company as to why the flight had been delayed as she and other confused passengers were left waiting on the floor for around four hours.

She said: “The flight was due to leave at 10pm and the departure screen showed gate three. Joined the queue at the gate about 8.50pm, there was heavy thunder and lightning that lasted for some time and we did think that our flight may be affected.

“At 10.15 we asked the gate staff what was happening but they couldn’t tell us anything. From then on the only information we had was on the departure screen, which showed several other flights were delayed, and which changed our departure time to 10.30, then 11.30, then 12.

“Sat on the floor for a further 40 mins then we boarded the plane at 1am. The captain told us they’d had to divert to Alicante due to the lightning storm but had been waiting for us in Valencia for some time. None of this had been explained to us and the gate staff couldn’t give any information at all. “

Passengers were left so clueless on the change of flight plans that they accidentally joined a queue for another flight leaving from the gate.

“There was a bit of excitement just before midnight when the staff returned and put the boarding signs up so we joined the queue, ignorant of the fact that what we thought was an airport code on the screen above gate three was in fact the name of a Romanian destination and we had all joined the wrong queue!”

Fee said that while she was left tired and with a sore back she wouldn't have been happy about flying in a thunderstorm, but communication from Ryanair would have been appreciated.

Ryanair said: This flight from Valencia to Edinburgh (3rd May) was delayed due to weather disruptions in Valencia. Passengers were advised of the delay via their Ryanair app and by email and were advised of the rescheduled departure time.

"Ryanair sincerely apologises to all customers affected by this weather delay, which was entirely beyond our control.”

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