Mason Jones (Reporter)
AN expat has described a Ryanair flight as the ‘trip from hell’ after a series of delays which ended in the pilot shouting at passengers to get off the plane.
Andy Coates, 50, who uses the budget airline around 20 times a year, was stunned when the captain came out with the ‘rude’ outburst.
It came after the plane was delayed by an hour, in particular, after a passenger boarded the wrong flight.
The problems started when the December 18 flight from Manchester to Malaga was held up after check in staff stopped numerous people to measure their luggage at the boarding gate.
They included a pensioner, who was forced to put her handbag in her suitcase.
Then to make things worse a passenger who was due to fly to Barcelona accidentally boarded the flight to Malaga.
“By the time the crew realised this the doors were already shut,” said Coates, who lives in Mijas Costa.
“In fact we were about to take off when the youngster realised he was on the wrong flight.”
After returning to the terminal to take the passenger off, the captain then said:
“If anybody else is not happy then they can get off with him now!”
Mr Coates was furious about the outburst and insisted: “This was an innocent mistake by the youngster, but what happened to the gate personnel who are meant to scan boarding cards?
“It didn’t help that they spent so long getting everyone boarded and the way they treated this elderly lady was wrong and she got very nervous.
“It was over the top and pedantic and caused a further delay for everyone.”
He continued: “Maybe if the Ryanair staff were a little less obsessed with the exact size of hand luggage they would notice a far more important fact like a passenger boarding the wrong flight.”
Ryanair were unavailable for comment.
I would be as annoyed as the captain on this flight. the rules over luggage are quite clear but time and time again people try to get away with extra causing delays to everyone. I’m sure anyone capable of booking a flight can read.
My son and I recently flew from Malaga with Monarch and experienced the same long delays at check in with the ground staff pedantically measuring every piece of hand baggage, resulting in a delayed take off, and some very irritated passengers.
This practice is very lucrative for the airlines and is not unique to Ryanair.
While I agree some people are stupid when it comes to hand luggage the situation is not helped by the obsessive nature of the gate staff. Perhaps they could spend more time organising a quick and orderly boarding of the plane and less time insisting on handbags being inside cases.
The story makes a far more valid point, however, that a passenger getting on the wrong plane is far more serious, as an innocent mistake it is inconvenient but as a deliberate attempt it poses a significant security problem. Not only has that passenger passed through the wrong gate when his boarding card should have been checked but then boarded the plane where again his card should have been checked. The flight staff would then have completed their checks and should have done a head count to make sure they had the correct numbers before closing the doors for take off.
Having said all that we do expect our pilots to be a bit more professional, his outburst in this case seems a complete over-reaction when the problems are caused by Ryan Air staff and not passengers.
Ryanair eh? Has to be the worst airline in the world, you pay peanuts, then expect to get a monkey. Never use them never will. They make the cabin crew clean the planes toilets at each turn around! I hope they wash there hands before they give out the dishwater they call coffee. Yet so many complaints, so many people use them, Its what we want as a nation, look at our High streets? Where proud good quality shops stood, we now have…Poundland, B&M, The 99p shop, You get what you pay for, remember that next time you fly. TB
I don’t blame the Captain for being pissed off, why don’t passengers heed the hand luggage allowances? I’m sick of people smuggling extra hand luggage on board.
Sir Trevor makes a fair point. Ryanair’s success is a testament to the hypocrisy of your average British consumer. They produce solid financial results year after year in spite of all the horror stories and consistently holding up the league table for customer satisfaction. Most of the people saying ‘never again’ are clearly liars , we are all mesmerised by the bargain basement fares and we hate ourselves for it so take it out on them!. All I can say is that regardless of what you think of their rules , just do your fellow passengers a favour and turn up with the regulation ONE bag , printed boarding pass , and don’t demand 5 star service for £25. I use them 12 -15 times a year and I’ve got used to it. You can do the same by reading the rules and adjusting your attitude and expectations….
The guy who boarded the wrong flight must be an absolute moron, The destination is on his ticket, the boarding gate, the notification boards etc. That said it’s shocking the security and boarding staff did not pick up his error until he was on the flight.
As far as the company is concerned, I use Ryan Air a lot between Malaga and Barcelona, if you stick to the terms you agree to when booking then you will have no problems. They are not my favourite airline but for me it’s just a flying bus service so it suits me. If you don’t like the terms, don’t use the airline. Simple.
What IS the big deal? – In the UK, Bercow – Chief Whip for the Tories said EXPLATIVES to the Police because they wanted him to bicycle out the side gate instead of the front gate at 10 Downing Street. BFD…… !
My husband and I recently travelled to Manchester with Ryanair. We made sure that our hand baggage was below the maximum. Being pensioners and wanting to book a seat near the front we paid extra. When the last of the passengers were boarding there was a problem with locker space – a young man had a very big holdall to locate – one of the cabin crew removed my husband’s bag from the locker and told him to put under the seat in front of him – my husband objected because it would restrict his leg room. The crew member said that my husband must do it to accommodate the other passenger. The most annoying part of this story is that the same thing happened on our return journey.
My husband complained to Ryanair by letter and we received a standard letter saying that hand baggage had to be the specified size and that the company was within their right to fine my husband for his oversize bag. To add ‘insult to injury’ it was evident that they failed to read my husband’s complaint!
Sir Trevor, exactly when people moan about Ryanir they should remember how much they paid for the flight, i use them all the time because they are cheap, i dont expect first class service. you wouldn’t expect it if you got on a bus, which is what these airlines are a bus service and without them we would be paying a lot more.
cheap cheap you get what you pay for,do i complain sat in between two VERY large people leaveing me little arm rests and breathing space.The extra stones they both carry are far moor than the poor ladies hand bag !
We all need an outburst now and again, give the pilot a break.
I think the customer services need policing,there answerable to no one.They give you the run around when you have either a complaint or enquiry especially in my friends case for refund of a double booking.They are the untouchables If people talked with their feet may be the staff and management would improve avoiding the dole ques.
@Colin Jeffrey
Ryanair don’t offer customer service, they offer cheap flights and are very good at that. If people wanted customer service instead of cheap flights then Ryanair flights would be practically empty instead of almost full, which they usually are…
PAthetic petty airline is Ryanair best avoided if possible.
Flew with BA the other day, its another world to Ryanair. Could not fault the customer service at all and all the flight cost me was £20 and some avios points.
I agree, Ryanair is cheap, & so is their service… All budget airlines suffer people trying to get away with too much baggage on board (not in the hold because of the extra expense), however, I do wish they would let you take a small handbag, or similar, which is allowable under the forward seat, with your overhead bag. I, like many, squeeze my handbag in that ‘overhead luggage’ bag & then AFTER boarding go through the farce – at my seat row – of undoing the bag to get my handbag out because it has my purse (to buy their expensive, unappetising food, & anything else they want to SELL you on board), reading material, etc. Hence holding up other passengers trying to get seated!…. I promise I do always try not to inconvenience you, my fellow passenger, in doing so! Happy New Year.
@ Karen How: I too use Ryanair a lot. I expect no customer service, not having paid for it. I do, however, carry my essentials (passport, purse, phone, medicines) in a small ‘bum-bag’ under my top. The crew have all seen me do this and none has ever objected.
This seems to be the answer to the handbag problem.
Dear Sir.Trevor Buckle, f.y.i ryanair crew do not clean toilets at any point of the working day,and yes we do wash our hands again and again during the day. There is no need to provide readers with misleading info.
I always make sure my hand luggage is the largest size possible but still within the limits. So when they ask me to put it in the bin to measure the size I always reply that I have a bad back and could they do it for me. It works every time.
It is ridiculous that people constantly complain about hand luggage limitations. It is stated clearly all the way through the booking process what size hand luggage you are allowed and that you are only allowed one piece. Why then do educated people who have bought a cheap no frills flight turn into idiots at the airport and complain when they are the ones breaking the rules. If they want extra baggage then pay for it. There is no doubt that Ryanair provides cheap flights and a basic service you get what you pay for, I fly nearly every month with them, I have never had a problem I always just have hand luggage, I make sure it is the right size ( I bought the suitcase on Ryanair Website) I make sure it is the right weight. Therefore I never have any problem and I get very irritated by moaning Brits ( they are champions at this pass time ) follow the rules and stop being difficult the rules are clear then we can all have a pleasant flight. Well done Ryanair for providing us with extremely cheap fairs. More people should appreciate this fact.