Ryanair crisis could mean fans miss european game
REDS SUPPORTERS ANGRY AS FLIGHTS FROM LISBON AXED
MANCHESTER United fans caught up in the Ryanair flight crisis face missing their club’s clash with Benfica in Lisbon.
The budget operator has scrapped up to 2,000 flights over the next six weeks after a blunder over their pilots’ holidays.
Cancellations will almost certainly affect passengers heading to United’s match with Benfica in the Portuguese capital on October 18.
Although no planned departures from Manchester have been cancelled, services heading from Lisbon to Stansted have been. And it has left many fans in trouble.
Chris Brookes, 33, a painter and decorator who lives near Wigan, found his return leg to London Stansted after the game was cancelled. Having paid £85 for his return ticket, he managed to rearrange – but was still waiting for confirmation from the airline yesterday afternoon.
He said: “It was stressful when I first got the email from Ryanair – going out I was fine but coming back on October 19 I wasn’t.
“I’ve managed to rearrange a later flight free of charge but it arrives at 11.45pm which means I’ll miss my train home to Skelmersdale and I’ll have to stay the night in London at extra cost.
“There’s quite a few fans I know that are stuck and don’t yet know how they will get back. Others have had to cancel and go with alternative airlines. There’s been a lot of messing about.”
“I’m a massive United fan and I was really looking forward the match - I want to say I’ve been to both clubs in Lisbon.”
Chris is not alone in his disappointment.
Jo Lestat wrote on the airline’s Facebook review page: “Not only am I missing the Manchester game, but most of all, we’re gonna have to make a road trip through 10 countries.”
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary said 98pc of flights and most passengers would be accommodated with new services on the same or next day. Describing the situation as a ‘mess of their own making,’ he ‘apologised sincerely to all passengers for any worry or concern.’