Ryanair slam 'abysmal' airport after wheelchair user 'left behind'

The airline has criticised Bordeaux Airport after an elderly wheelchair user bound for Edinburgh was not been boarded by ground staff.

Ryanair slam ‘abysmal’ French airport after elderly Edinburgh passenger in wheelchair ‘left behind’ — The plane was forced into a U-turn after an elderly passenger had been left behind. iStock

Calum Loudon

21st Sep 2023

Posted in

Ryanair have declared a French airport “abysmal” after an elderly passenger who uses a wheelchair was left behind.

Flight FR 6700, bound for Edinburgh, was due to depart from Bordeaux at 10pm on Tuesday.

However, the journey was delayed by more than two hours after it emerged an elderly passenger in a wheelchair was not on the flight.

The flight was then forced into a U-turn on the runway, after the pilot was informed that a “personal item” had been left behind.

In a strongly worded statement, Ryanair have hit out at Bordeaux Airport, describing the service as “abysmal” and “unacceptable”.

The full statement read: “It is unacceptable that Bordeaux Airport failed to provide this passenger with the special assistance required to board this flight from Bordeaux to Edinburgh (19 Sept) despite Ryanair paying for this service.

“Not only did they fail to board this passenger, but they misinformed the crew on this flight that all passengers had been boarded when in fact this passenger had not, and the aircraft began to taxi onto the runway.

“Ground staff at Bordeaux Airport realised their error and notified the crew who returned to stand in order to board the passenger.

“It is abysmal that Ryanair customers requiring special assistance are being let down by Bordeaux Airport and we are working with them to ensure that this does not recur.”