Ryanair passengers suffer dehydration after Sevilla delay

By James Bryce

RYANAIR passengers in Sevilla were forced to endure 50 degree heat for over two hours with no air conditioning after the flight they had boarded was delayed on Thursday.

An 18 month old baby was treated for dehydration while several adults fainted following the delay, which occurred after a compressor failed.

A shortage of water meant that the limited supplies, distributed by the Spanish Airports Authority (AENA), were given to children after stewardesses said there was not enough to go round.

The pilot of the Pisa-bound flight informed passengers that he was unable to start either the plane’s engines or the air conditioning and refused to lower the steps as they would lose their slot.

AENA claimed that the airline took more than 45 minutes to request a tow truck to take the plane back to the terminal.

One passenger said: “They would not let us leave the plane or give us any water. The people were very nervous.”

However, Ryanair blamed the delay on a passenger, described by the airline as ‘insubordinate’, who deployed the emergency ramp on one of the front doors as technicians worked to repair the plane.

Consumers Organisation FACUA reported the airline to the consumers and air safety authorities, accusing Ryanair of ‘putting the health of the passengers in danger’ and called for ‘exemplary fines’ to be issued.