Ryanair Flight Takes Off Without 89 Passengers in Lanzarote Border Fiasco
A low-cost Irish airline, Ryanair, has been accused of abandoning 89 passengers on the Canary Island of Lanzarote following severe congestion at border control. The incident occurred on Wednesday, when flight FR4756, scheduled to depart at 3:15 pm from César Manrique - Lanzarote Airport to Bristol, left without nearly a hundred travellers.
Border Control Bottleneck Causes Major Disruption
The problem stemmed from passenger border control, where travellers from outside the Schengen area must have their passports stamped. Large queues frequently form at this service, leading to flight delays and widespread frustration among passengers and airlines alike. In this case, it is reported that Ryanair decided not to wait for all passengers to clear border control. The airline took their bags off the aircraft, a process that took almost an hour, before the plane departed.
According to Spanish newspaper La Voz de Lanzarote, the flight arrived in Bristol 52 minutes late, but the fate of the 89 stranded passengers remains unclear. It has not been revealed how long they had to wait in Lanzarote or if they were forced to stay overnight, raising concerns about passenger welfare and compensation.
Ryanair's Response and Ongoing Airport Issues
Ryanair issued a statement addressing the incident: 'Due to passport control delays at Lanzarote Airport (February 25), a number of passengers missed this flight from Lanzarote to Bristol. Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight alongside the 90 passengers who did present at the gate on time.'
This is not an isolated event at Lanzarote Airport. In February 2025, the simultaneous arrival of 17 non-EU flights overwhelmed the airport, as passengers required passport stamps upon arrival. The English newspaper Canarian Weekly reported on the latest incident, noting that some industry sources suggest Ryanair's decision may be linked to the airline's ongoing frustration with Spain over increased airport charges imposed by AENA, the Spanish airport operator. However, Ryanair has not formally commented on this speculation.
Broader Concerns Over Airport Infrastructure and Policies
José Valle, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, expressed concern in August 2025 about the implementation of the new European Entry/Exit System (EES). He warned that it could cause 'serious collapses' at Lanzarote airport, exacerbating existing issues. The airport has also faced criticism for continuous long queues at taxi and bus ranks, with passengers sometimes waiting up to two hours.
Ryanair has voiced strong dissatisfaction with AENA's recent price hikes. In a statement, the airline said: 'The statement from AENA's monopoly on Wednesday 25 February is astonishing for its inability to understand how to take advantage of Spain's airport infrastructure to boost traffic, tourism, and employment.' Ryanair attributed traffic cuts at Spain's regional airports to AENA's excessive fares, which it claims divert traffic to more competitive European airports.
The airline highlighted its growth plans: 'This summer, Ryanair, which is the number one airline in Spain and Europe, will grow by less than 0.5 per cent at Spanish airports, including major and regional airports. At the same time, we will increase our summer traffic by 11 per cent in Morocco, 9 per cent in Italy, and 60 per cent in Albania.' Ryanair argued that competitive access costs in other countries drive this disparity, and called for incentive programmes to stimulate traffic in Spain.
As the situation unfolds, the incident underscores broader challenges in airport management and airline operations, with passengers caught in the crossfire of logistical and policy disputes.
