passenger

Millions of people take advantage of Ryanair’s low-cost flights every year, with many falling foul of the airline’s baggage policies

A Ryanair passenger has claimed she’s been hit with a £75 after the wheels of her suitcase poked out of the airline’s bag sizer despite having paid extra to bring it on board.

The incident occurred when Gilly Bachelor was flying from Birmingham Airport to Malaga in Spain and was halted at the boarding gate.

The 55-year-old expressed that she was informed she couldn’t carry the bag onboard even though she had paid for both priority and two cabin bags options. Gilly alleges that she was charged an additional £75 to bring the bag onboard, over and above the £125 flight cost, during this “stressful” encounter.

“I’ve taken that bag on lots of flights with no problem, just not Ryanair,” Gilly, hailing from Brewood, near Cannock, Staffs, shared with Luxury Travel Daily.

“As we were boarding, a gentleman was checking all the bags. They put it in the sizer, and the issue was with the wheels, and that it was slightly too wide. I travel a lot myself, so I’m usually pretty relaxed, and clearly this caught me out this time.”

Gilly, who owns a travel agency, alleges that a staff member was inspecting every bag as passengers boarded the plane, with at least 20 being singled out and fined. She added: “Ryanair is a very low-cost airline, so they operate to tight margins and will generate extra revenue wherever they can.

“I also heard that Ryanair staff receive an incentive for every bag they flag as oversized.

“I checked, and it’s true, but it’s only a small portion of the fine.

“Even so, it’s clearly enough to keep staff vigilant and enforce the rules strictly.

“At least 20 people were caught out.

“Ryanair gets a lot of criticism, but the rules are clear and easy to follow.

“I used them outbound because the timing worked, but flew home with easyJet and my bag was fully compliant, as it would have been with Jet2.”

Gilly offered some advice: “My advice is to check the size rules carefully and invest in a compliant bag. It’s much less stressful than being caught at the gate and paying a fine.”

Ryanair has been contacted by The Mirror for a statement.

Cabin crew member Cher shares the insider tricks she uses on every flight – from avoiding being bumped off oversold planes to protecting your skin at 30,000 feet

A cabin crew member has lifted the lid on her insider knowledge and disclosed the tricks she uses when travelling that passengers can adopt too. Flight attendants have racked up some of the best hacks on navigating air travel thanks to travelling the world.

Cher, who has been working on aircrafts for five years, shared three crucial tips she’s gathered during her time in the aviation industry. She ensures she implements her own advice even during personal trips to guarantee her journey runs smoothly.

Her guidelines can be applied by anyone, not just cabin crew, so keep them to hand for your upcoming getaway, reports the Express.

Check-in

Cher’s first recommendation is that she always checks in at the earliest opportunity for her flights when travelling as a passenger. She elaborated: “Airlines often do something called overselling the flight, which is where they sell more tickets than there are actual seats on board.”

The flight attendant explained that typically this system works as numerous passengers tend to miss their booked flight. But if that doesn’t happen, Cher noted you might hear a tannoy announcement at the airport offering vouchers to travellers willing to forgo the flight due to excessive ticket sales.

“If some people won’t take that voucher, it means they are going to bump the last few people that have checked in off of the flight,” she revealed.

“If you are waiting until the last minute to check in for your flight, then you’re going to get bumped onto the next flight either later that day or the next day, which could totally ruin your trip.”

Cher also pointed out that early check-in allows passengers to secure “better” seating options.

Sun cream

The cabin crew member revealed she never boards without SPF protection. Cher highlighted that research has shown airline staff face heightened skin cancer risks.

She explained: “I do my best to try to keep the window shade closed as much as I can.” Regular travellers might want to follow suit by applying sun protection and keeping window blinds down during flights.

Hand luggage

Cher urges people to put important items in carry-on baggage rather than checked suitcases. She even recommends these essentials be kept in the personal bag that sits at your feet.

She warned: “It is not uncommon for somebody to mistake your carry on as theirs and take it off. I have seen this dozens of times.”

Cher advises packing underwear, a toothbrush, toiletries or “anything you couldn’t go a couple days without” in this bag. She noted: “The best thing in aviation is to basically prepare for the worst.

“Flight attendant bags are marked up to the nines with custom tags so we can identify them as ours. I would recommend doing something on your bag that will prevent somebody else from confusing it as theirs.

A passenger described the terrifying moment a Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Tenerife encountered severe turbulence at 35,000ft, forcing an emergency return

A passenger aboard a Ryanair flight forced to turn back to Birmingham has revealed how travellers were ‘hurled from their seats’ during a terrifying ordeal that saw the aircraft lurch violently without warning.

The 33-year-old from Lichfield, who asked not to be named, described the harrowing experience as “like something from a horror movie”. The aircraft took off from Birmingham Airport at around 2.50pm on Sunday, December 28 and transmitted an emergency code (squawk 7700) whilst flying over Brittany, France, after climbing to 35,000ft.

Travellers informed The Aviation Herald that the severe turbulence struck during the meal service, leaving several people injured. The aircraft reversed course and dropped to FL100 (cruising at 10,000ft).

READ MORE: EasyJet flight forced to land in UK after ‘adverse weather’ disrupts landingREAD MORE: Ryanair flight in mid-air emergency and diverts to UK as ‘passengers hurt’

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The passenger revealed: “I was on this flight. It felt like something you see on a horror movie. We were smooth cruising then, out of nowhere all of a sudden, the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right.

“It felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats. I came out physically unharmed but the mental toll this has taken it awful,” reports Birmingham Live.

“Other passengers said to me they saw a fighter jet pass us by just before it happened. How do you not pick up on a planes radar other planes in the area? It doesn’t make sense.

“Who knows – I would like real answers though this has really traumatised me. The cabin crew said within their 10 years as cabin crew they’ve never experienced anything like it.”

The aircraft made a safe landing back at Birmingham about an hour and 32 minutes after its initial departure. As reported by AirLive, the plane was directed to an isolated parking bay where medical personnel could assess passengers.

A Ryanair spokesperson confirmed to the Mirror on Sunday evening: “FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on 28th December returned to Birmingham Airport shortly after take-off due to air turbulence.

“The aircraft landed normally before passengers disembarked and returned to the terminal, where a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance. This flight continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local.”

The passenger said she was flung out of her seat when the plane suddenly dropped – Ryanair has stated the plane was forced to make a U-turn due to air turbulence

A passenger aboard the Ryanair flight forced to return to the United Kingdom after a mid-flight emergency has said the experience ‘felt like something out of a horror movie’.

The Boeing 737 MAX, which departed from Birmingham Airport at about 2.50pm on Sunday, December 28, issued a 7700 squawk over Brittany, France, after reaching an altitude of 35,000ft. This code signifies a general emergency.

The Boeing was bound for Tenerife but was forced to return to the UK mid-flight.

“It felt like something you see on a horror movie,” said a 33-year-old passenger from Lichfield, who did not wish to be named.

“We were smooth cruising then out of nowhere all of a sudden the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right, it felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats,” the passenger said.

Passengers informed The Aviation Herald that flight FR1121 experienced turbulence, resulting in injuries to several individuals while cabin service was underway. The flight then made a U-turn and descended to FL100 (flying at 10,000ft).

The aircraft safely touched down back at Birmingham around one hour and 32 minutes after take-off. According to AirLive, it was parked on a remote stand at the airport for paramedics to attend to passengers. The severity of the passengers’ injuries is yet to be determined.

“I came out physically unharmed but the mental toll this has taken it awful… this has really traumatised me,” the woman said.

“The cabin crew said within their 10 years as cabin crew they’ve never experienced anything like it.”

She said other passengers claimed to see a fighter jet pass the Boeing before the incident, but this has not been confirmed.

Ryanair said in a statement: “”FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on 28th December returned to Birmingham Airport shortly after take-off due to air turbulence.

“The aircraft landed normally before passengers disembarked and returned to the terminal, where a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance. This flight continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local.”

The Mirror has reached out to the airline for further comment.

Long-haul flights can feel daunting for both passengers and cabin crew. But while travellers can sit and put their feet up, what happens to the flight attendants on a long shift?

Travelling is fun but when it’s a long flight, it can feel quite draining for everyone on board. Passengers, however, get to tuck into countless meals served by cabin crew, watch multiple movies back-to-back and relax.

So when travellers get some shut eye, especially if it’s a night flight, those working on the flight still have a job to do. Luckily there are moments of the trip where they can get their feet up for some rest. A long-haul flight shift for cabin crew can reach up to 18 hours, although it’s around 12-16 hours with in-flight rest. This can sometimes extend to longer if there’s any delays along the way.

Now have you ever wondered how they rest? One flight attendant shared a video which showed a secret area where “no passenger is allowed” and it’s only for cabin crew staff to put their feet up.

In a video, Bryan, who boasts 5,000 Instagram followers, said: “People ask me: Where do flight attendants sleep when they have a 17-hour flight?”

Seconds later, he jumps into his pyjamas before taking his phone to show the secret area cabin crew can go to rest during their shift.

The title, which read: “A place where no passenger is allowed”, then shows the attendant walking up some stairs before showing a hidden cabin with beds and curtains.

It’s called CRC which stands for Crew Rest Compartment, and this is where they go when it’s time for their break. In the sleeping area, there is a seatbelt, which must be fastened in case of turbulence, some blankets and, of course, pillows.

There’s also overhead lights and even curtains for privacy, with a TV for “endless entertainment”.

His post garnered hundreds of likes since it was shared as one wrote: “Wow that’s awesome.” Another added: “I would sleep all the way through. No alcohol. No entertainment. Just rest. We need our bodies to perform on Earth. Thanks for sharing.”

A third posted: “Thanks for sharing! So cool to see ‘behind the scenes’ with the crew.”

How do cabin crew survive long-haul flights?

Flight attendants usually rotate their scheduled rest periods by using the hidden crew bunks. By doing this, it ensures there’s coverage during flights up to 16+ hours.

The crew members manage fatigue with routines, wellness, nutrition and use seniority to bid for better schedules, they also balance intense work with multi-day layovers to explore cities or rest before the next leg of their trip, often spanning several days.

Long-haul offers extensive travel for flight crew, while short-haul provides more home time. Often flight attendants choose this based on lifestyle preference.

Meanwhile extended periods away from home are common, with long blocks of days off after demanding trips to recover from the job.

A woman has issued a stark message to anyone travelling by plane this holiday season – as she reminds them to ‘be generous’ following her recent experience on a flight

When travelling on a long-haul flight, many people make sure to pre-book their seats to ensure extra comfort throughout the journey. That’s exactly what one woman decided to do before setting off to visit her family in San Juan, Puerto Rico, knowing she faced a long, uncomfortable journey otherwise.

She pre-booked a first-class window seat on the left side of the plane so she could see her grandma’s house from above before landing. But her peace was disrupted throughout the flight, as no fewer than three people stopped at her row to ask her the same question. Taking to Reddit, she said: “I was asked to switch seats three times by three separate people on one flight.

“When I arrived to my seat there was a very elderly woman in the aisle seat and another woman in the aisle seat across the way. The younger woman said, ‘this is my mother, she has dementia and she can’t even feed herself. Can we switch so I can care for her during the flight?'”

Feeling awkward, the woman regretfully switched seats with her – but her problems didn’t stop there. She said: “I know I made the choice to switch, this is about the frequency of asks.

“Then two other women come up and gave me another ‘we couldn’t book together but we want to sit together can you move to this other aisle seat please?’

“At that point I was seething, but seeing as I’d barely touched my butt to the new aisle seat, I just said ‘whatever’ to them and moved.

“When a third person came up to me to start the ‘hi um’ I immediately said ‘I have switched twice already, you can take it up with someone else’.

“I know I chose to move for these people, but I’m so upset that I paid for that specific window seat and my options were basically, help a woman with dementia but enjoy my view, or move and sit in an aisle seat by the bathrooms.

“I don’t know. It’s also not lost on me that I don’t look like the traditional first class passenger.”

Sharing a message to anyone who asks other to switch mid-flight, she added: “Listen, if you borked your booking and you want to switch with people, be generous.

“Send me a free drink or something, slip me a £20, tell the cabin crew so I get my preordered meal, be generous.”

Commenting on her post, one user said: “Don’t let other people’s problems become your problems. Sit in your assigned seat. If people need accommodations, they can take it up with the FAs (flight attendants).”

Another user added: “I never understand why they can’t bug the person next to them.”

A third user said: “I would happily move for the grandma but the others are on their own after that.”

Mike Crosby, who was served the panini lunch on a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Luton Airport following a work trip, has shared his anger on social media to raise awareness

A Ryanair passenger has slammed what he has described as “the worst plane food ever” — an “inedible” £11 panini lunch.

Mike Crosby, aged 60, claims “even cabin crew agreed” the sandwich “was terrible” after he complained on the flight from Dublin to Luton Airport on December 10. Mike said the meal, which also included a coffee and a Snickers bar, cost £10.98 (Euro 12.50), looked “nothing like the photo”.

The father of two, who had spent three days working in Dublin, said: “I don’t like to complain and I’m the first to say how remarkable it is when you get a good meal served 35,000 feet in the air. But, I was disappointed with this one.

“It was supposed to be cheese and ham but that doesn’t look like ham of any sort I recognise and it doesn’t look like the picture showing more of it than was in there. The cheese wasn’t cheese but more of a paste. It was a cheesy spread.”

READ MORE: Family of Brit granny found dead on plane ‘talking and acting as if she was alive’READ MORE: Ryanair flight ‘crashes into fuel truck’ at Edinburgh Airport as passengers terrified

A photograph shows the opened panini with two thin slices of ham inside and “unrecognisable cheese paste” slathered on a small section of the bread. Mike, who is from St Albans, Hertfordshire, asked for a refund but staff allegedly told him they were unable to offer this “in the air”. The dad claimed Ryanair has also rejected his appeal since then too.

Mike is now speaking out about his Ryanair sandwich experience as a warning to others. He said before buying one next time he wants to inspect the contents of the bread first — and will continue doing so until he finds one he likes the look of.

Mike, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, said: “The coffee, Snickers and sandwich was part of a meal deal and I paid 12 euros and 50 cents – and for plane food [the price] wasn’t that bad.

“It was all very horrible. I had a couple of bites and thought I’m not eating this and threw it away. It’s the worst plane food I have ever received on a plane and it’s up there with the worst sandwich too.

“It looked nothing like the photo. I don’t actually know what that meat was. I didn’t even get to taste the cheese. I said to the people on the plane that [the panini] is terrible and the cabin crew agreed and gave me a miniature pot of Pringles instead.

“I think the most disappointing thing is not actually what they served, but the way they refused to take any responsibility for serving up rubbish.

“Next time, I’m going to say can you bring me one [a sandwich] before you cook it and before I pay. I’m then going to open the packet up and say that’s no good and keep doing that until I find one I like the look of. I don’t think it’ll ever look like the picture.”

As shocking reports emerged concerning a dead woman allegedly being wheeled aboard an easyJet flight, the Mirror takes a look at some of the troubling testimonies for those who witnessed it first hand

Passengers aboard an easyJet flight have made shocking allegations about an elderly woman who died before take-off, with some claiming she was already dead when she was pushed onto the aircraft.

Those aboard the Malaga to Gatwick flight claim to have looked on in horror as the 89-year-old was wheeled down the aisle, neck supported by a brace and neck pillow as she slumped over in her seat. Some said they saw relatives attending to the deceased woman as if she was still alive, before showing “not one ounce of emotion” when paramedics dashed to attend to her.

EasyJet have since insisted that these allegations are unfounded, stating that the woman was still alive when she boarded the plane. However, the flight’s co-pilot advised passengers that he would write a report on this incident using their testimonies. So what really happened? Here the Mirror takes a look at some of the witness testimonies.

READ MORE: ‘I was on EasyJet plane with dead Brit woman, they held head up as she sat in seat’

‘It’s okay, we are doctors’

The grandmother was taken onboard aircraft in a wheelchair by five relatives, who reportedly assured ground staff that the elderly woman was simply unwell, and had fallen asleep. According to Mail Online, some witnesses claimed to have heard the relatives saying: “It’s okay, she’s just tired,” adding: “It’s okay, we are doctors”.

While the group managed to get the woman seated at the back of the plane, just before the 11am take off, cabin crew members realised she had passed away, cutting the journey short before the plane had even left the runway.

Family ‘acting as if she was still alive’

Speaking with the Mail, 19-year-old passenger Elizabeth Rowland told of how she had been seated in front of the woman and two of relatives while at the gate. When they boarded, she was just three rows in front of them. Marbella-based Elizabeth, who had been flying to England to visit family, alongside her partner, says she knew from the very first time she laid eyes on the woman that she “wasn’t with us”.

Recalling the scenes that unfolded before boarding, Elizabeth shared: “Her family were trying to wake her up and saying, ‘Can you hear me? We’re going to get on the flight now, we’re going to board now’, and trying to give her something to drink… They were talking to her and acting as if she was alive.”

According to Elizabeth, once the plane turned back to the terminal, with emergency services rushing to the scene: “None of the family seemed upset or like they were panicking, they weren’t crying or shocked – they were completely calm and talking to the paramedics.”

Elizabeth continued: “They showed not one ounce of emotion. They seemed like they were trying to make everything seem normal.” She says she believes the woman had already died after paramedics took her to the back of the plane, plugging her into an unspecified medical machine which “did not make any sound”.

‘What were you thinking, EasyJet?’

Passenger Petra Boddington had been seated close to the “fragile, old lady”, and says fellow travellers had become concerned for her welfare. In an interview with The Sun, Petra explained that the woman had been pushed along the aisle of the plane by a member of ground staff, with those already in their seats looking on in shock.

Petra said: “People turned in their seats and went, ‘Oh my god, she looks dead’. She was a fragile, old lady who was curled up and doubled over in a chair in a not very comfortable position. Anybody with eyes could see that she was not fit to fly and it wasn’t just me that thought it, it was everybody else that she went past. People sat in front of me even said they’d seen the people that were with her holding her head up. We all thought that she looked dead.”

The British expat recalled: “As soon as the plane turned around and the captain announced there had been a medical emergency, everybody turned to each other and said, ‘Well we know why?’ Then we were all taken off the plane and back at the gates. That’s when everyone started complaining and asked how she was allowed on.” She added: “I honestly feel sorry for the woman. She should have never have been allowed on that plane. I think it’s disgusting that she was allowed on but ultimately, the poor woman has lost her life.”

Taking to Facebook with a video taken at the airport, Petra commented: “Easyjet! What were your ground staff thinking today? They asked the family five times if this woman was ok… she was clearly not ok! To the naked eye she looked like she was already dead, slumped unconscious in a wheelchair, so why would she be allowed on to the flight and then disrupt everyone’s plans… purely to save the family repatriation?!? If I was drunk they wouldn’t let me on.. but apparently dead is ok?! EasyJet what’s going on? Disgusting and prepare yourselves for the refunds and complaints coming! Flight now rescheduled from 11:15 to 21:30? How does that work for everyone involved?”

Passenger’s fury

Another passenger by the name of Tracy-Ann Kitching says she saw the woman in question being wheeled onto the plane, with someone “holding her head” as they went by to take their seats. Outraged, Tracy-Ann took to social media, writing: “EasyJet – you are unbelievable! Why did you let a dead person on our flight?!” She also took aim at the airport’s Special Assistance team, arguing that they “should have raised the issue” before boarding.

In a Facebook post, Tracy-Ann claimed : “An actual doctor on board [confirmed] she was already dead when they put her in her seat”. She also empathised with the “poor person who died and the family as well as your cabin and ground crew”, adding: “What a terrible situation for them. I must also praise the First Officer [co-pilot] who came out and patiently answered our questions. He was professional and personable – thank you.”

‘Misinformation’

However, not all passengers have given the same story. In response to Petra’s post, a man by the name of Tony Coatesworth commented: “She was not dead when they sat her in the seat next to me, and she was put in the by not five members of her family as there was only two other people with her a man and a younger lady helped by Spanish special assistance staff, there is a lot of misinformation going on social media about this incident. We all got home she didn’t

“I totally disagree with your reply and saying it on video and laughing is totally unacceptable you show no compassion at all, yes the lady was clearly ill but she could have been a lot different 2hrs before being put on the plane, nobody would have been able to foresee what could possibly have happened while on the plane as I said she was not deceased when put in her seat as I saw her breathing. Could you just for a minute think about her family, what would you be thinking about if you were reading and watching videos of so many things being said and put on social media that are totally incorrect.”

READ MORE: Family ‘wheel dead gran onto easyJet flight after telling crew she’s tired’