Ryanair

On this particular trip I took two flights with Ryanair which is one of the budget airlines in Europe.

First off, before you go, make sure you read what the bag restrictions are as for weight and size as they are different from other airlines I have been on.

Also, know that if you are an American and you want to buy anything in flight you’ll need an American Express card or the currency for the area for which you are in. I had my Visa and Mastercard both of which were declined simply because they were not accepted. Side note, Discover users you’re really out of luck in Europe as just about every place (besides Ryanair) seem to accept Mastercard and Visa only for American credit cards. Though some will also take American Express.

Okay back to my two Ryanair flights.

My first was from Copenhagen to Denmark. That flight was miserable. The plane landed late so I understand the crew wanting to turn over the plane quickly and get my flight off the ground but the head flight crew member was awful.

They had us come out on the tarmac to begin boarding and the flight crew is mingling about. The head flight crew guy stands at the top of the plane steps claps his hands loudly to get the crews attention and begins yelling at them to pay attention and to get on board.

The flight begins to board and there is a man in a wheelchair sitting at the bottom of the stairs. When the head attendant reappears at the top of the stairs the man in the wheelchair calls something up to him. It’s not in English so I’m unsure what he is saying. This crew member begins yelling at him in accented English and I catch some of what he is saying, “You’re not my boss” then he calls to the airport member who is with the man in the wheelchair to explain the situation to him. I am assuming it is because they brought the man in the wheelchair out first (it was cold mind you) and having him wait to board last. I would be wondering why I was waiting as well as most flights have those who need extra help go first and board first. Furthermore if he’s not going to board first why was he brought out to the tarmac to sit in the cold and wait?

Well on the flight itself I slept for much of it. I wake to shouts and cries for help. This alarms me I take off my eye mask and attempt to turn around. My turn radius is not so good at this point and whatever is happening is happening directly two seats behind me.

I hear shouts for a doctor as you see on television. I am hearing people calling out that someone is having a stroke or a seizure. Then I hear the same flight crew member yelling at everyone to sit down, that he is not allowed to get up right now and since we were making our decent nothing could be done until we touch down on the ground.

People begin getting angry and rightfully so. Despite the protestations of the flight crew member the man sitting next to the sick person gets up and gets the sick man’s bag from the overheard compartment. He finds the man’s medicine and the seizure stops.

Once we land the medical team comes on board and they begin having us all deboard. I hope this man is okay and I hope this flight crew member is dealt with. Maybe rules are that those in wheelchairs do board last but be nicer about it and don’t make the handicapped come out so soon. Maybe on decent you aren’t supposed to get up and they fear more people will be hurt if they allow others to get up to help, but I feel the flight crew must be willing to get up, not the whole crew, but at least one appointed member.

I really hope Ryanair learns from this. I knew I had a second flight booked with them already, but after that flight I was really turned off. So I knew I’d take that second already booked flight but then never fly with them again.

On my second flight it was a better experience. Granted I was unable to even buy a bottle of water since I didn’t have paper or coin money with me and the only American card they take is American Express which I don’t travel with. And medically I need water so that was a problem. But the flight crew were all professional and one particular member was extraordinarily nice. So, because of him he may have possibly saved the company from losing a future customer, despite all the damage the man did for their reputation on the first flight.