Thu, Dec 07, 2006
Man Claims Crew Unresponsive & Rude During Six-Hour
Delay
A Ryanair passenger who
led a near riot after a six-hour delay got only a hand slap from a
Scottish court last week.
John Wilkie says he snapped at the end of a family holiday after
sitting in a plane on the ramp. He claims he couldn't get water for
his two young children and the crew responded to his questions with
rude indifference.
The flight departed Paris enroute to Prestwick when a terror
alert forced its diversion to Edinburgh. The incident occurred on
the ramp at Edinburgh nearly six hours after the flight's departure
from Paris.
Wilkie disobeyed the pilots order to sit down and tried to leave
the plane... and he was joined by around 30 other passengers.
Police boarded the plane and arrested Wilkie after the crew were
eventually able to get him to settle down. He was charged with
ignoring directions from the flight crew.
Wilkie admitted the crime last week at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Andrew Lothian issued only an admonishment after receiving
dozens of letters from fellow passengers in Wilkie's defense. In
addition, he said the charge was ridiculous and Wilkie was owed an
apology from Ryanair.
Wilkie told the Scotsman, "I am absolutely disgusted with the
way this has been handled - we all understand why these security
measures are in place, but this is bordering on hysterical. We were
being herded about like cattle, and the attitude of airline staff
was unbelievable. If it had just been me and my wife, I would just
have got on with it, but we have two kids aged three and five and
this was unacceptable. I feel vindicated by the court ruling."
A Ryanair spokesman said, "Ryanair will press charges against
any passenger who disobeys the instructions of our crew."
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