Ryanair Glasgow Prestwick airport passengers make 36 hour journey home
29.11.05
Almost 40 members of a church group made a 36-hour bus and train journey home after being stranded at a German airport when their flight back to Glasgow Prestwick was cancelled. As reported yesterday, they were among 130 passengers stuck at Hamburg Lubeck on Sunday when Ryanair cancelled their flight to Prestwick due to technical problems.
The airline offered the passengers a refund of £5 each or a seat on the next available flight - but were told it was not until Thursday. The Ayrshire group decided to make their own way home by land - via Brussels and London - instead. 'We did approach Ryanair about putting us up in a hotel until they got us back to Glasgow, but they have put profit before passenger safety and care,' one passenger said.
Members of the group revealed how they had to sit in the departure lounge at Hamburg for 5 hours with no information, and with only a 'delayed' sign showing against their flight. They only found out the flight was cancelled when one passenger's husband phoned from Scotland, telling her that the message was on Ryanair's website.
The group managed to get themselves from the airport to Hamburg, then took the train to Brussels. From there they got the train to London, used the underground to change stations and then headed back to Glasgow. They eventually arrived home on Monday afternoon, having spent 440 euros (£300) each for the journey home, in addition to the costs of additional meals and phone calls.
Ryanair said it regretted the inconvenience but was acting according to its policy. A spokesman said the flight had been cancelled because of a technical difficulties. 'We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused our passengers. Ryanair cancels the fewest flights in Europe, with 99.4% of our flights operating to schedule,' he said.
But the airline's apologies failed to satisfy the group, and it may have breached European legislation by refusing to offer hotel accommodation or any meals. An official at the Air Transport Users' Council said that while the new rules were legally binding, some airlines interpreted them differently from others.
The fate of the other Glasgow Prestwick-bound passengers was unknown last night though, like this group, most had decided to cut their losses and make their own way home.
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