'Mutiny' On Ryanair Flight In Spain

MADRID — Spain's government says police removed more than 100 passengers from a plane preparing to leave the Canary Islands after a large scuffle broke out onboard.

La Provincia, a Spanish newspaper, said the disruption happened when low-cost Ryanair tried to charge one passenger extra for carry-on baggage and his friends aboard the plane "mutinied."

An Interior Ministry spokesman said the pilot was preparing for takeoff at Guacimeta airport on the Lanzarote island resort for Charleroi, Belgium, when she radioed for police assistance.

He said that, of the 168 passengers, only 64 were allowed to re-board Saturday's flight. The rest had to find other carriers and some spent the night on Lanzarote. He spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with ministry rules.

Ryanair confirmed the passengers "became disruptive and refused to comply with crew instructions" after a requirement to pay a gate bag fee "for outsized luggage."

The airline said in a statement that police had required the entire aircraft be offloaded and each passenger identified.

"Following further disruptive behaviour, the police required for security reasons that this entire group be refused travel," the statement said.

___

Associated Press writer Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this report.

Comments

[lunacougar]

12:03 PM on 02/08/2011

I'd be very interested to hear what disabled/handicapped flyers experience with Ryanair, I'm paraplegic & I'm frightened even to go near them whilst in europe. They certainly do not seem to be a friendly airline for people with mobility issues.

[nycrichie]

08:19 AM on 02/08/2011

Flown with them a few times, basically a "bus" in the air. Low fares but be warned, they charge for almost everything else, they have a low limit on luggage weight so we had to empty out our bags and toss things in the trash (we had blow up beds we didn't need) to meet the limit or it would have cost us nearly 175 euro extra! And they SELL you almost anything on thier flights- Lotto, drinks you name it....they are on the speakers the whole time selling selling. Bring good ear plugs for the plane too just to shut them out.

[americanwhoserved]

10:36 AM on 02/07/2011

With this airline, you get even less than you paid for. I guess it is for people who suffer lousy service because they cannot afford something better.

[deluk]

10:32 AM on 02/07/2011

Penis envy never drove me to establish an airline....

[AlonzoQuijana]

10:06 AM on 02/07/2011

That photo! He seems to be having way too much fun gripping his fuselage.

[AlonzoQuijana]

10:02 AM on 02/07/2011

Funny, I was thinking drunk, British soccer hooligans, then I read the destination was Belgium. Boorish behavior knowns no borders.

[deluk]

10:35 AM on 02/07/2011

We don't do "soccer hooligans" any more, we leave that to the continentals who are always at least a decade behind us.  We prefer Mediterranean Resort Trashing.

[ehorth]

01:52 PM on 02/10/2011

:-)

[BeFairNow]

07:39 AM on 02/11/2011

LOL

[cirrus7]

09:50 AM on 02/07/2011

Irate tourists returning home after a week of not following the rules. Simple rules for oversized carry-ons and they lose it.
I cannot wait to see what a similar group does after a fine summer vacation in the United States and then are subjected to their lightly clad girlfriends being publicly and sadistically molested by the goons at the Transportation Molestation Stations at Miami Airport.

Rioting and tear gas throughout the airport. Good deal.

[Meggie]

09:40 AM on 02/07/2011

Ryan Air is a good business to stay far away from. 
 

[deluk]

09:36 AM on 02/07/2011

Ryan air's an aerial bus service, it doesn't even pretend to be a regular airline, it allows Europeans to travel around their continent for peanuts, just read the small print before you set off.

[Borborigny]

08:38 AM on 02/07/2011

Why do the Spanish, Tunisians and Egyptians act more like Americans than Americans do?

[wjousts]

09:07 AM on 02/07/2011

Why do you say that when the story doesn't mention the nationality of the passengers?

[mad lib]

09:46 AM on 02/07/2011

Well, you could bet there were'nt many Americans revolting- the airlines already have us trained to take abusive 'over' charges.

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

09:10 AM on 02/07/2011

Did I miss something, I thought the plane was taking off for Charleroi, Belgium
 
You wrote "Spanish"
 
Are you sure that the people that mutinied were not Belgians?
 
Other than that, I agree with you.
 
F&F

[Borborigny]

09:29 AM on 02/07/2011

Whether they were Spanish, Belgian or Tralfamadoran, it seems the majority weren't Americans. I merely note that we Americans tend to silently suffer a lot more intrusive bureaucratic BS than people should in the so-called "freest" country on the planet. I might be longing for a golden age than never existed, but it seems we, as a people, used to have some integrity and backbone and now seem to bow and scrape instead.

[mherrera]

07:59 AM on 02/07/2011

I'm tired of people taping a handle to a Frigidaire and trying to wail it down the aisle as a carry on or taking up enough overhead space for three people. I'm glad a few airlines are pushing back against these enormous carry ons and those who wield them at my head while trying to lift them. Check it or learn to travel lighter like the rest of us. You don't need a full dinette set and the kitchen sink for a weekend trip.

[Meggie]

09:44 AM on 02/07/2011

Agree 100%! 
If you can't carry it, then it shouldn't be considered carry on.
And if you can't lift it over your head  by yourself, then you should probably put it under your feet and not make everyone else wait while you stand there waiting for someone else to help you lift.
And, airlines, TWO carryons means TWO, right?  Way too many people lately with THREE.

[kilchis]

08:17 PM on 02/07/2011

Since airlines started charging for checking bags I've noticed a lot more abuse of the size and number of "carry-ons". I don't know why they don't just enforce it at the boarding gates. I don't see those box-like devices that say if it doesn't fit in here it has to be checked anymore.

[bubajohn2]

07:22 AM on 02/07/2011

No suprise here, I mean Ryanair is the biggest rip off in the world!

[mdsman]

08:39 AM on 02/07/2011

no, not really
they are very clear with their rules and, if you follow them, it is a pretty inexpensive way to fly.
They provide a place to check both carry on size and wait at the check in counter
If you don't want to follow their rules, take another airline.....

Just as a comparison:
UK to Gdansk, Poland
Ryanair - $85
Lufthansa - $395

[DevonTexas]

07:00 AM on 02/07/2011

Ryan Air, the prototype for an ideal GOP business model. Sell them a ticket and nickle and dime them for everything else. Ryan is the airline that wants to charge to use their toilet in flight.

[mdsman]

08:42 AM on 02/07/2011

that is just BS
They are very upfront about the rules
As to toilets, it is pretty common, all over the world, to charge for use of public toilets. It used to be this way in the US. Then, it was decided that charging was unfair and the result? No public toilets....
As to ryanair, they floted the idea for flights less than 3 hours in length. I didn't hear any outrage from european friends just, chuckles. It was pulled back rather quickly. But US friends, who can't even use Ryanair, were outraged and appalled.
If you don't like them, use another....

[BonneChatte]

09:14 AM on 02/07/2011

i have to disagree with mdsman. while it's true much of the world has pay toilets, it's pretty much expected (in western europe, at least) that toilets are free and accessible on planes and long-distance buses and trains as you're essentially contained there for awhile. not allowing someone without money to use the toilet on a several hour flight or train ride would be torturous.

p.s. i live in europe, and i know many europeans who were upset about the possibility of pay-toilets in airplanes.

[squat6971]

09:14 AM on 02/07/2011

You are pretty persistent in protecting the brand. Employee, perhaps?

[JtownesquireAgain]

09:37 AM on 02/07/2011

Do you ever fly? If so, you'd know that all airlines charge fees for baggage...and higher fees for heavier bags, or too many bags...etc. Even Southwest (which advertises "Bags Fly Free") charges for baggage in certain circumstances.

So, to blame Ryanair is misplaced. Perhaps peopel shouldn't try to take a bag on board that weighs 400 pounds and is the size of a volkswagen! The rules are spelled out. If you don't like it, feel free to fly another airline or take a train...or boat...or bus...whatever works for you. But don't disrupt the flight. Remember, there were others on that plane that followed the rules and just wanted to get home. Now they are detained and their plans disrupted because of the selfishness of this a**h0le.

[hwjone]

06:15 AM on 02/07/2011

Okay, how did the persin get on-board the aircraft originally without being charged for the oversized baggage? Sounds like a scam to me.

[scooder]

09:38 AM on 02/07/2011

Come on. Folks drag bags onto planes all the time that are far too big. This one likely could find no place to stow it which brought the attendants' attention to the issue.

[Meggie]

09:45 AM on 02/07/2011

probably one of the last on and noplace to put it except below. 

[Donns]

05:26 AM on 02/07/2011

Why would anyone even book a flight on Ryan, even if it were free? The closer something gets to free the less you can afford it and Ryan is one of the best examples of this theory. They seem to have internal contests to see who can be the most rude to their customers and who can figure out a way to gouge them for trivial things to make up for the supposed low fare structure.

[DevonTexas]

07:01 AM on 02/07/2011

agreed!

[mdsman]

08:44 AM on 02/07/2011

because they are actually pretty good?
I have never had a problem and have enjoyed the very cheap flights
just need to follow the rules