Ryanair has apologised to passengers after it was pressured to divert a scheduled flight to Portugal to Spain because of points it blames on the French air visitors management strike.
spokesperson for the airline mentioned the flight from Dublin Airport to Faro on Friday was diverted to Malaga Airport because of points “solely past our management”.
“This flight from Dublin to Faro (16 Sept) diverted to Malaga having missed Faro Airport’s curfew because of disruption from the French air visitors management (ATC) strike, which was solely past our management and impacted all airways flying to/from/over France that day,” the assertion mentioned.
“To minimise disruption to passengers, Ryanair rapidly organized for a coach to move passengers from Malaga Airport to their ultimate vacation spot.
“Ryanair sincerely apologises to passengers for the inconvenience prompted because of this unjustified French ATC strike.”
One passenger wrote on social media to vent his frustration concerning the scenario. He posted a collection of tweets within the early hours of this morning.
He mentioned the bus lastly crossed the border into Portugal after 9am this morning.
“Obtained on a Ryanair flight to Faro and I am in Malaga lads, you could not make this up,” he mentioned.
“Morale is low, some individuals are solely simply realising we’re in Spain.
“We’re on a 5 hour bus to Portugal now and we have stopped for petrol and pee stops inside 5 minutes. I am by no means getting out of right here. One bus for 157 folks, good luck to everybody we left behind
“Obtained to the Dublin airport 12 hours in the past and now I am in a petroleum station in Malaga at 5.41am, ship assist.
“We’re doing a bus swap on the border. The brand new bus driver is right here sans bus. I am getting espresso.”
Ryanair and Aer Lingus are among the many airways that had been pressured to cancel lots of of flights after French air visitors controllers started strike motion on Friday.
France’s DGAC aviation authority had requested airways to chop their schedules to and from France in half on Friday. It additionally urged passengers to defer non-essential journey.
France’s SNCTA air visitors management union is hanging over pay and recruitment points.
Air France operated solely 45pc of its short-and medium-haul flights on Friday. Ryanair cancelled 420 flights, which affected the journey plans of greater than 80,000 passengers.
A number of flights to and from French airports and to Malaga in Spain, via Cork and Shannon, had been additionally grounded.
