Alex Trelinski
A Costa Blanca couple were turned away from a Ryanair flight from Manchester to the Costa Blanca in a row over when they took their COVID PCR tests.
It’s the latest in a series of recent incidents involving Spanish-bound British travellers encountering problems with Ryanair at Manchester.
Mark and Zoe Ryder were due to fly back home last Friday(April 16) on a Ryanair service to Alicante-Elche airport.
They were denied permission to board the plane.
That’s because Ryanair staff said their test results were outside a 72 hour validity period for when they would land in Spain.
The Ryders argued, without success, that the company had not taken into account the one hour time difference between the UK and Spain, which would have meant the PCR test was still valid.
The couple were tested the previous Tuesday morning at 9.48 am.
Based on the time difference, they would have landed at Alicante-Elche airport last Friday morning with eight minutes to spare.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, 62-year-old Mark Ryder said: “ The staff wrongly insisted that our tests were outside the required 72 hours and could not get their heads around the one hour time difference.”
Mr. Ryder said that they had to spend £500 to get new flights and PCR tests, as well as extra car hire.
A Ryanair customer services representative told the couple: “I sympathise with your circumstances, but I am not in a position to process your refund request and recommend that you contact your travel insurer with regard to this matter.”
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