Edinburgh flight passengers slept on floor in 27-hour Ryanair delay
- Published
Scott Coyle spent an uncomfortable night on the airport floor
Ryanair passengers travelling from Barcelona to Edinburgh were left to sleep on an airport floor after their flight was cancelled.
The flight's departure time was 17:45 on Monday 19 June.
But, after a string of delays due to a technical issue, passengers did not land in Edinburgh until midnight on Tuesday.
Ryanair said passengers were offered a hotel room for the night, but some said they were left in Barcelona airport.
One of them, Cole Farrell, described her experience as "awful".
She was waiting for her flight home after attending the Sónar festival in Barcelona at the weekend, and now says she will never fly with Ryanair again.
Cole Farrell was in Barcelona for a music festival
She told BBC Scotland: "The whole experience was awful. No one knew what was happening as the staff didn't even seem to know. Everyone in that airport was so rude and unhelpful.
"I was one of the unlucky ones who didn't get the hotel as there weren't enough spaces for everyone.
"We were then told by security no one was allowed to sleep in the airport and they were even chucking people outside if they got caught sleeping.
"There was nowhere to eat or drink for hours as everywhere was closed. The airport was freezing. Worst 27 hours of my life."
Scott Coyle from Glasgow is still feeling the effects of sleeping in the airport all night.
He said: "It got to the stage we all had to stay in the airport for around 30 hours.
"Sleeping on freezing cold hard tiles with air con blasting down on us. No offer of food, water, pillows or blankets - it was a complete disaster.
"The airport basically closed for the night. Every time we lay on the floor the police would come over and tell us to find a seat.
Police were said to have tried to move people on who were sleeping on the floor
Silvia Barone, a customer services advisor from Edinburgh, was on a weekend break with friends.
She said all the information came via text messages.
"First they said they were waiting for the plane to come from Edinburgh. Then they said the first delay was until 21:00.
"Then it was 22:30, then 01:00.
"I had to make an awkward call to my boss to say I wouldn't make work the next day."
The next update said the plane would take off at 04:00, then staff at the airport said that the plane had a fault and was waiting for a part to be sent from London Stansted Airport.
Eventually passengers were told that they would have hotels provided, but she said rooms were not found for everyone, and Ms Barone ended up sharing a room with someone she had never met.
Ms Farrell posted updates on her social media
She said: "It was super awkward but we were laughing about it. By the time we got to the room we received a text which said the flight would be at midday the next day.
"But by the time we had four hours' sleep and woke up it was going to be 16:00."
Ms Barone said that when they got back to the airport, expecting to board the plane, the flight crew arrived at the gate and explained a different part had to be flown in from Rome.
The plane finally took off at 22:00, landing in Edinburgh at about midnight.
Ms Barone said the airline had been disappointing.
'Minor technical issue'
"I am really upset. I have submitted my complaint to Ryanair but they sent me an email saying they had no record of me on the flight.
"I have used Ryanair many times. It is one of few options from Edinburgh but this was handled really badly."
A spokesman for Ryanair said: "This flight from Barcelona to Edinburgh was delayed overnight due to a minor technical issue with the aircraft.
"Affected passengers were notified and subsequently updated on the status of their flight through SMS, email and push notification.
"After engineers realised that the technical issue would take longer to resolve then expected, passengers were advised of their options - a refund/free change of flight.
"Any passengers that chose to wait for the flight, were offered overnight accommodation and transport to/from Barcelona Airport. "
The airline apologised for any inconvenience caused to passengers as a result of the "unavoidable delay".