Ryanair Passenger Endures Six-Hour Ordeal on Grounded Aircraft During Storm Amy
A Ryanair passenger has publicly criticised the airline after alleging they were left stranded on a grounded aircraft for six hours during a severe storm, later being forced to cover hotel and transport costs without reimbursement. The Devon-based traveller recounted the distressing experience in an anonymous letter to Anna Tims, the consumer affairs columnist at The Guardian, seeking guidance on the airline's handling of the incident.
Flight Diverted and Passengers Left Stranded
The passenger explained they were travelling from Bristol Airport to Dublin in October last year when Storm Amy intensified, making it impossible for the aircraft to land at the Irish airport. After two unsuccessful landing attempts, the flight was diverted to Manchester Airport. Upon landing, passengers remained on the aircraft for approximately six hours before finally being asked to disembark shortly before midnight.
During this extended delay, no complimentary refreshments were offered to the stranded travellers. The passenger further reported that staff had promised to arrange taxis and accommodation, but no crew or airline representatives were available to escort them into the terminal, which was described as 'deserted'. Consequently, several travellers, including the complainant, had to arrange their own transport and hotels at personal expense.
Costly Consequences and Bizarre Correspondence
After paying for a taxi and an overnight stay in Manchester, the passenger travelled to Bristol the following day via bus, only to discover that no Ryanair flights to Dublin were operating, forcing them to turn back. In total, the botched trip cost the passenger around £900, including £240 for the hotel and transport.
In their letter, the passenger wrote: 'The abortive trip cost me £900 but Ryanair failed to offer a ticket refund and has refused my £240 claim for the hotel and transport because it seems to have recorded the flight as having landed in Dublin.'
Anna Tims, investigating the matter, revealed that after weeks of correspondence, the passenger was bizarrely informed they had been rebooked onto a 'phantom' Dublin flight that had already departed while they were still on the diverted aircraft. Tims described Ryanair's initial response as 'disingenuous', before the airline ultimately acknowledged the passenger had been 'incorrectly advised'.
Resolution and Broader Context of Storm Amy Disruptions
Following the investigation, Ryanair has since refunded the cost of the ticket and agreed to reimburse the hotel and transport expenses. The Daily Mail has contacted Ryanair for further comment on the incident.
This ordeal occurred during Storm Amy in October last year, which caused widespread flight disruptions across the country. In a related incident, another Ryanair flight came within six minutes of 'running out of fuel' mid-air, prompting an investigation. A passenger on that flight, operated by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair from Pisa to Glasgow's Prestwick Airport, described the experience as distressing, with the aircraft issuing a 'fuel Mayday' and making an emergency landing in Manchester after several failed landing attempts.
The passenger recalled: 'The three failed landings were like something you'd watch in a disaster movie. People were praying and my son was crying. I remember thinking "Is this it?"' Storm Amy brought winds of up to 100mph, leading to transport chaos and advisories against travel, with buses and trains being cancelled nationwide.
