A Ryanair passenger was left alarmed after reportedly being told she would be unlikely to board a plane, even though she held a valid ticket. Aisling Finlay shared her experience on TikTok, warning others that such a situation could occur with the budget airline.
Passenger's Ordeal
Aisling Finlay took to TikTok to recount her travel ordeal, claiming she had no idea such a scenario was possible when flying with Ryanair. The video quickly went viral, amassing over 27,000 views, as viewers expressed disbelief at the extraordinary air travel tale.
In the clip, she stated: "There's a high chance we're not getting on this flight. So, a reminder to everyone to check-in way in advance, as they're overbooking the planes." She explained that she checked in the night before at 10pm but could not reserve or allocate a seat. Her boarding card displayed "seat allocated at the gate," and upon arrival, staff informed her that the flight was overbooked by nine seats. She and her companion were number five and six on the standby list, leading staff to say, "It is unlikely you'll get on the flight."
Public Reaction
The clip prompted hundreds of comments from fellow passengers sharing their own experiences. One wrote: "In all my years travelling, bumping has never happened to me, and I've never seen it happen. It must be a very new thing with Ryanair." Another recalled a similar incident: "I had that once. Due to fly from Dublin to Bristol. They couldn't get me on so they flew me to Birmingham and then paid for a taxi to Bristol, and a few weeks later I got compensation. More than I paid for my whole trip."
A third commented: "This is becoming so common. Happened two weeks ago. One member of our party didn't get on, and was lucky to get a seat the next day. Check in as early as possible and book seats to make it safer." Others noted that most airlines engage in overbooking practices.
Ryanair's Response
When approached for comment, Ryanair stated that as a matter of policy, the airline does not overbook its flights. The airline also maintained that the passenger in question did travel on the flight from Dublin to Palma de Mallorca on June 3.
Nevertheless, Ryanair's website provides further details: "Ryanair, as a policy, does not overbook its flights. However, in the unlikely event that a seat is not available for a passenger with a confirmed reservation, we will seek volunteers to surrender their seats in exchange for benefits that we and the volunteer may agree upon before involuntarily denying boarding to other passengers." The website outlines entitlements for passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding, including compensation and alternative travel arrangements.
