11th August 2009

Fiasco at Stansted Airport as Ryanair comes in for more flack

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Stansted Airport after Ryanair failed to check them on to flights in time.

The budget airline opened just 11 check-in 'bag drops' to deal with 255 flights on Saturday, one of the busiest departure days of the year. By contrast, on the previous weekend it had 23 desks open.

Police were called in to calm tensions as queues backed up through the terminal.

The stranded travellers, many with young children, had to find alternative flights or cancel their holidays and many spent Saturday night sleeping in the Airport Terminal.

Mr  David Dimbleby, his wife and family were some of the 700 passengers who missed their flight to Toulon, in southern France, despite arriving with two hours to spare. Speaking as the chaos unfolded the prominent BBC presenter, 70, said: 'It's a nightmare. Ryanair have abdicated responsibility. 'They have not spoken to any of these people, there have not been any public announcements and they have not said when the flights are called. The police are here with machine-guns, supposed to be protecting us from terrorists, but they end up protecting Ryanair ticket sellers. It's absurd.'

Ryanair encourages passengers to check-in online and charges extra for hold luggage, which has to be taken to a bag drop. Last night a Ryanair spokesman said: 'Ryanair apologises to those who missed flights or had flights delayed at Stansted Airport. 

'Due to staff shortages at our ground-handling partner, Swissport, an inadequate number of bag drop desks were operating at Stansted.'

A Swissport spokesman said: 'Swissport would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused.

'We are aware of the problems specific to Ryanair at Stansted with a reduced number of check-in desks, and we are working with Ryanair to resolve this problem urgently.'

If you are travelling from Stansted it would appear you need to alow extra time until this chaos is resolved and to arrive at your Stansted airport parking or if  travelling from one of our Stansted Airport hotels take an earlier transfer to the airport.