Holidaymakers have sworn off Ryanair for good after a dream trip to Morocco descended into an absolute travel nightmare, culminating in an unscheduled overnight stop in Paris and a complete breakdown in communication from the budget airline.
The ordeal began on board FR2964, returning from Agadir to Manchester. Instead of a smooth journey home, passengers were informed the aircraft would be diverting to Paris Beauvais due to ‘strong winds’—a claim many on board vehemently dispute.
A Night of Chaos and Confusion
Upon landing in France, the situation quickly unravelled. Passengers report being left on the tarmac for hours with zero information about what would happen next. ‘There was no communication for about two hours,’ one frustrated traveller recounted. ‘We were just abandoned.’
When they were finally allowed into the terminal, the scene was one of chaos. With no Ryanair staff in sight to provide answers or assistance, over 150 passengers were effectively stranded, forced to sleep on hard terminal floors or scramble to find last-minute, expensive accommodation for the night.
'We Were Treated Like Cattle'
The lack of care and information has drawn fierce criticism. ‘We were treated like cattle, not paying customers,’ another passenger stated. Many highlighted the stark contrast to the service they witnessed another airline provide for its diverted passengers just a day earlier.
While some eventually made it back to Manchester the following afternoon after a second attempted flight, the damage to their trust was already done. The common sentiment among all travellers was a firm ‘never again’ when it comes to flying with the carrier.
Ryanair's Response
In a statement, Ryanair apologised for the diversion, reiterating that it was due to strong winds at Manchester Airport and was a decision made solely for safety. The airline confirmed that all affected passengers were notified of their right to apply for care and assistance refunds under EU regulation 261/2004.
However, for those left sleeping on cold airport floors, an apology and a form to fill out feel like far too little, too late. This incident serves as a stark reminder for all travellers to understand their rights when flights go severely off course.
