Ryanair has come under fire for refusing to provide free water to passengers stranded on a plane for up to 15 hours during Storm Ashley.
The incident occurred on a flight from Faro to Dublin, which faced multiple diversions and landing attempts due to severe weather conditions caused by Storm Ashley, with several flights being diverted to Shannon Airport.
Passengers reported being stuck on board without complimentary refreshments, despite the extended ordeal.
One traveller, Gerald Gallen, told The Irish Times that the airline charged for water nine hours into the journey, which should only have taken three hours.
RyanAir has defended its actions on the flight
Getty
Gallen described the harrowing journey, which began at 9am in Faro and ended at 11.55pm in Dublin. The flight attempted to land in Dublin multiple times before being diverted to Manchester, then Birmingham.
“At no stage in this 15-hour on-board experience did Ryanair offer or provide so much as a bottle of water to a passenger free of charge,” Gallen stated.
He reported that the plane had run out of food, water, and even toilet roll at one point. Despite restocking in Birmingham, Gallen claimed the airline only added 10 sandwiches and continued to charge for all items.
Ryanair defended its decision in a statement, saying passengers were “not entitled to free food or drinks on-board” during delays caused by the tropical storm. The airline apologised for the disruptions but emphasised they were “clearly beyond Ryanair’s control”.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
A person watches the waves at the Blackrock diving tower in Salthill, Galway,
PA
A spokesperson expressed gratitude to their operations teams and crews who “worked long hours in extremely difficult circumstances” to return passengers to Dublin.
The incident has sparked outrage among travellers, with some questioning the airline’s policy during exceptional circumstances.
However, Ryanair maintained its stance, citing the need to “prioritise passenger and aircraft safety” during the severe weather event.
The storm’s impact extended beyond this single flight. According to CorkBeo, 13 flights headed to Cork and Dublin were diverted to Shannon Airport. Passengers reported feeling “stranded” with limited transport options.
A flood defence barrier in Galway city centre,
PA
Derry MLA Cara Hunter posted on social media: “Cheers @Ryanair. Left every passenger stranded in Shannon Airport and just informed all its passengers to find their own way to Dublin. No coaches coming.”
Ryanair acknowledged the diversions, stating they were “regrettably diverted to Shannon Airport due to unsafe weather conditions”.
The airline claimed to have made efforts to arrange alternative transport but advised passengers they could claim back expenses for individual arrangements.