Couple’s flight home axed on their way to Nice airport
Struggle to get back to ireland in travel chaos
AN Irish couple told yesterday how Ryanair turned their holiday into a nightmare when their flight was cancelled as they made their way home. Eimear and Alan Marron were on a bus to Nice airport in France after a weekend break when they got a text saying their return flight had been axed. Eimear said: “From a Ryanair point of view we got no help whatsoever, it was only the other passengers who offered us support. It was very hard.” The couple, from Termonfeckin, Co Louth, were anxious to get home to their two young children Aine, 12, and nine-year-old Ben, who were staying with family. When they reached the airport on Tuesday, the flight was still listed on the departures board, adding to confusion. Alan said: “There was no sign of any reps for Ryanair, there was only an A4 sheet of paper at one desk with a Ryanair number scribbled on it. “There were about 30 of us there and we were all trying to ring this number. It wasn’t getting us anywhere.” The couple had difficulty rebooking a flight as all the Ryanair and Aer Lingus crossings were booked up. Alan’s brother helped them book seats with Easyjet to Gatwick and a second flight with Ryanair back to Dublin the next day. The couple then had to find accommodation for the night. The first hotel they tried was fully booked but they were offered the last available room at another. They had to fork out €390 to cover the cost of accommodation and new flights. Eimear, who was due back to work on Wednesday, then had to call her boss to say she was stranded. She added: “Even if we’d gotten a text that morning, it would’ve been fine. We only got the text about 10 minutes before we got to the airport.” In response Ryanair said: “Due to an unjustified French ATC strike, we regret we were forced to cancel a number of flights yesterday [October 10], along with other airlines operating to/from/over France. “We apologised to all affected customers, who were contacted by email and text message and advised of their options – a full refund, free rebooking on to the next available flight or free transfer onto an alternative flight – and we are doing all we can to re-accommodate those affected.”