- Quote: ‘Annoyed by the way they were treated. My mam has bad mobility with her legs, high blood pressure and a few medical conditions, stress is the last thing she needs’
A 76-year-old disabled lady is enjoying an autumn holiday with her husband and son in Spain after arriving at Alicante-Elche airport – 24 hours after being left behind from her scheduled flight.
“It was a bit of a nightmare – we don’t really know whose fault it was – because we never got to know. We still don’t know the full story,” said Margaret Harrop who was travelling to Alicante.
Retired couple Margaret and John Harrop were due to fly out to Alicante on Ryanair flight FR4080 at 11am on September 28 to see their son Keith for the first time since he and partner Lynne moved to the Costa Blanca in 2020.
The couple were unable to board the Ryanair flight to see their son for the first time having moved to Spain.
The couple missed the flight from Newcastle Airport – despite arriving early at the gate. Margaret said: “I knew my son and his partner were in Alicante waiting for us.
“It’s a while since we’ve seen them – so it was very disappointing – especially having to come back to the horrible UK weather the following afternoon.
“It was so, so annoying, we were disappointed not only because we didn’t get there on our scheduled flight, but because nobody informed us about anything.”
Margaret and John were among seven people who watched the plane taxi onto the runway – and leave without them – from a special assistance vehicle just yards away.
The couple arrived at the airport, depositing their suitcases and headed through security. They then went to special assistance and were told to be at Gate 19 for 10am, saying that they arrived 20 minutes before.
They were then taken to board the plane and were waiting on a special assistance lift yards from the plane.
They weren’t able to board with Ryanair saying special assistance provider’s failure to ‘fulfil their responsibility to these passengers causing them to miss their flight’.
John said: “We got one of these shuttle lifts that raises you up and puts you in the plane if you’re disabled, and we could see people getting onto the other side of the plane.
“We couldn’t see their faces, but then we started to see one or two bags being taken off and Margaret said to me, ‘that’s our bag.’ I said, it can’t be.
“We were standing there for about 25 minutes and then all of a sudden, the plane started to move and Margaret said that plane’s moving, and I said of course it wasn’t we’re not on it yet! But it was.
“The bloke in charge of the shuttle was mumbling and he said there’s been an issue, but he wouldn’t say anymore.”
Margaret and John were then taken back to the terminal, where they were made to wait for an hour, while airport staff had a meeting.
After apologising, the seven passengers left behind were promised places on a Jet2.com flight the following morning, which had eight vacancies.
John and Margaret were also offered the option of staying at a hotel at the airport, which the other five guests chose, or a taxi to go home and return for the flight the following morning.
Margaret said: “All my medication was in the case and I didn’t know whether it was on the plane or not – I’ve got it now, but nobody told us anything. “We were there in loads of time, everybody was. We were just sitting in the departure lounge until they came for us – it wasn’t any of our faults because we were already there.
“It just shouldn’t have happened, if it’d been the other way and I had been able to just been able to walk up the stairs, I would have been on my holidays.”
Margaret’s son Keith said: “Luckily they hadn’t got a hotel booked, they’re staying with us. So they’re not losing any money – but it was upsetting for them.
“I was really annoyed just by the way they were treated. My mam has bad mobility with her legs, high blood pressure and a few medical conditions, stress is the last thing she needs.”
The couple are now in Spain enjoying time with Keith and partner Lynne.
A spokesperson from Newcastle Airport said: “Following investigation, we can confirm that seven passengers that were assisted with their journey through the airport were unable to travel. The passengers arrived at the aircraft in advance of the scheduled departure time but were not permitted to board the aircraft.
“Newcastle Airport assisted all customers affected by ensuring they departed on the next available flight.”
A spokesperson from Ryanair said: “Special assistance at Newcastle Airport is provided by a third party, not by Ryanair. We are disappointed that the third party provider at Newcastle Airport failed to fulfil their responsibility to these passengers causing them to miss their flight.”
Strikes
Travellers with holidays booked are urged to check flights before travelling. Industrial action is scheduled for seven days in October, two in November and 11 in December.
Spain’s three main workers’ unions – USO, CCOO and UGT – are in dispute with airport operator AENA.
Car park staff, baggage handlers, security, IT, retail and catering staff all voted to walk out.
