Over 3hr delay: Ryanair lack of de-icers at Stansted or weather?

ABowman

Delay on 1st Dec over 3 hours with Ryanair, no refreshments or reason given. Boarded the plane late as another plane was on our stand. Sat on the plane for almost 4 hours. Told by the captain we were waiting for the de-icer and were 11th in the queue. The de-icer was owned and operated by Ryanair. Other flights left on time or with much shorter delays. It wasn't exceptionally cold for a December in London and no snow, so arguably the weather wasn't exceptional at all. Ryanair will argue weather but is it if they just don't have enough equipment to go round on a normal winters day?

HillStreetBlues

I doubt ice in December in the UK would ever be ruled as an "extraordinary circumstance” which would be the bar Ryanair needs.

Charli333

This affected us also - Was meant to fly from krakow Jean Paul airport yesterday at 11:50 was only told at 11:20 flight was going to be delayed till 13:30 at 13:30 was told we can’t fly from this airport and needed to be transferred to Katowice via coaches at 13:30 - no other information . Left us outside in the snow waiting for an hour . Took over an hour/2 hours to get to Katowice . Flight was scheduled for 16:30 - 16:30 no sign of boarding . Polish passengers having to chase up staff of the airport and ask what is going on to be told passengers were missing from the transfer so can’t board . 1800 tried to board us and stuck 200 people in a metal gate for an hour to have no further info but told we had another hour till boarding the plane . Then re boarded us at 18:30 to the plane only to tell us just before take off that they can’t take off there is four flights in front of us that have not taken off yet . 2 and a half hours on the plane with no further updates and the cabin crew none the wiser refusing water for the passengers because they can’t give out water but you can pay for it when asked to pay then told you can’t because we are not in the air . Told at 9pm that our flight is cancelled and taken back to arrivals . Went through boarder force 4 times yesterday without leaving the country . Ryan air staff Katowice airport told us that the two nearest hotels were full and we received a text to say they cannot accommodate hotels or transfers . Told that there was no Ryan air fights back to stansted till Thursday!!!! Left in the middle of no where with no help . Had to desperately book a hotel back at krakow old town which we got the last bus half way which was an hours journey and then got a taxi another hour .  Booked another flight back to Gatwick despite our cars being at stansted . Will Ryan air pay for all the expenses and loss of earnings is the big question !!! Despite the fact of such poor welfare  of passengers and leaving them stranded 2 hours away from their original airport !!!!

eskbanker

Charli333 said:

Ryan air staff Katowice airport told us that the two nearest hotels were full and we received a text to say they cannot accommodate hotels or transfers . Told that there was no Ryan air fights back to stansted till Thursday!!!! Left in the middle of no where with no help . Had to desperately book a hotel back at krakow old town which we got the last bus half way which was an hours journey and then got a taxi another hour .  Booked another flight back to Gatwick despite our cars being at stansted . Will Ryan air pay for all the expenses and loss of earnings is the big question !!!

Ryanair are liable to reimburse the hotel costs, plus transportation to and from there, plus reasonable meals, plus transportation from Gatwick to Stansted, but aren't liable for loss of earnings.