Ryanair passenger drops to her knees in tears after being denied boarding over large luggage
A video shows a female passenger attempting to fit her luggage into a holdall at Sofia Airport in Bulgaria on July 24, according to the Sun.
When it became apparent that her bag wouldn't fit, the staff explained to her that she would need to pay for extra baggage, which she refused — insisting that she could get it to fit.
The unnamed passenger is seen trying to force her bag to fit by slamming and eventually getting it to fit.
Despite her successful attempt to fit the bag, staff still refused to let her board the plane.
She begins to break down in tears as she pleads with a member of the border police to allow her on the flight while dozens of other passengers watch from behind a glass door that separates them from the weeping woman.
Still determined to board, she starts banging on the door and asking for help as her pleas grow louder and more staff quickly surround her.
Exhausted from her efforts, the woman is seen dropping to her knees while tears stream down her face.
Nikolay Stefanov, the witness who recorded the distressing ordeal, said the situation 'escalated quickly.'
'She was pleading with us not to leave, but we were threatened that the entire flight would be canceled if we didn't get on the bus, so passengers became frightened and left,' he said.
Stefanov said fellow passengers were left in shock by how the staff were treating her with no compassion, as they denied her permission to board the flight due to her large luggage.
The viral video drew the attention of Bulgaria's parliament, prompting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov to order an inspection of the airport's security cameras due to the employees' 'outrageous' behavior during the chaotic ordeal, according to the Bulgarian news outlet Fatki.bg.
Karadjov assured citizens that the leading ground operator would be identified and receive the 'highest fine' and a verbal warning following an investigation.
Goldair Handling Bulgaria issued a statement in response to BNT News, insisting that their employees acted 'professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger.'
'All rules regarding passengers' baggage, its permissible size and the fees payable for baggage are determined solely, entirely and unilaterally by the airlines,' the handling company said.
'Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is solely obliged to monitor compliance with these rules by the airlines. This also applies to hand luggage, as Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is obliged to monitor the dimensions of this baggage and collect excess baggage fees. [Staff] acted professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger.'
The shocking viral video comes as Ryanair's Michael O'Leary confirmed earlier this month that its agents who identify and charge for oversize bags receive a bonus of around 1.50 euros ($1.75) per bag.
Ryanair is 'aggressive about eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage,' the CEO told RTÉ's Morning Ireland, adding that his company is 'thinking of increasing' the agent commission.
'We're flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one — because that's all that fits in the plane,' O'Leary said.
He is the only airline CEO to have commented on agent commissions.
Originally published as Ryanair passenger drops to her knees in tears after being denied boarding over large luggage
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Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Sky News AU
Ryanair passenger drops to her knees in tears after being denied boarding over large luggage
A Ryanair passenger was brought to tears after being denied boarding her flight because her luggage was too big. A video shows a female passenger attempting to fit her luggage into a holdall at Sofia Airport in Bulgaria on July 24, according to the Sun. When it became apparent that her bag wouldn't fit, the staff explained to her that she would need to pay for extra baggage, which she refused — insisting that she could get it to fit. The unnamed passenger is seen trying to force her bag to fit by slamming and eventually getting it to fit. Despite her successful attempt to fit the bag, staff still refused to let her board the plane. She begins to break down in tears as she pleads with a member of the border police to allow her on the flight while dozens of other passengers watch from behind a glass door that separates them from the weeping woman. Still determined to board, she starts banging on the door and asking for help as her pleas grow louder and more staff quickly surround her. Exhausted from her efforts, the woman is seen dropping to her knees while tears stream down her face. Nikolay Stefanov, the witness who recorded the distressing ordeal, said the situation 'escalated quickly.' 'She was pleading with us not to leave, but we were threatened that the entire flight would be canceled if we didn't get on the bus, so passengers became frightened and left,' he said. Stefanov said fellow passengers were left in shock by how the staff were treating her with no compassion, as they denied her permission to board the flight due to her large luggage. The viral video drew the attention of Bulgaria's parliament, prompting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov to order an inspection of the airport's security cameras due to the employees' 'outrageous' behavior during the chaotic ordeal, according to the Bulgarian news outlet Karadjov assured citizens that the leading ground operator would be identified and receive the 'highest fine' and a verbal warning following an investigation. Goldair Handling Bulgaria issued a statement in response to BNT News, insisting that their employees acted 'professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger.' 'All rules regarding passengers' baggage, its permissible size and the fees payable for baggage are determined solely, entirely and unilaterally by the airlines,' the handling company said. 'Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is solely obliged to monitor compliance with these rules by the airlines. This also applies to hand luggage, as Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is obliged to monitor the dimensions of this baggage and collect excess baggage fees. [Staff] acted professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger.' The shocking viral video comes as Ryanair's Michael O'Leary confirmed earlier this month that its agents who identify and charge for oversize bags receive a bonus of around 1.50 euros ($1.75) per bag. Ryanair is 'aggressive about eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage,' the CEO told RTÉ's Morning Ireland, adding that his company is 'thinking of increasing' the agent commission. 'We're flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one — because that's all that fits in the plane,' O'Leary said. He is the only airline CEO to have commented on agent commissions. Originally published as Ryanair passenger drops to her knees in tears after being denied boarding over large luggage
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Shocking moment Ryanair passenger sobs and hits door after being stopped from boarding
This is the shocking moment a female Ryanair passenger was left sobbing on her knees after being banned from boarding her flight. The tearful woman was left hitting a door in an emotional outburst as airport staff reportedly told her that her hand luggage was too big. Chaos unfolded at Sofia Airport in Bulgaria when the woman was left screaming, sobbing and venting her frustration over Ryanair's strict baggage policy. A packed flight was due to board a bus to their plane when the female passenger was stopped in the queue. Nikolay Stefanov, a witness to the shocking ordeal, said the woman was told she had to pay for extra baggage because her luggage didn't fit in the holdall. The woman refused to pay as she explained her bag could in fact fit. Footage shows her trying to force her bag into the luggage rack by slamming it in. The bag does eventually fit but the staff still refuse to let her board. She then breaks down in tears as she pleads with a member of the border police and takes a video of the bag which is now wedged inside the rack. Dozens of the passengers were seen watching on from behind a glass door which was all that separated them from the weeping woman. Determined to board, she then starts to bang on the door and ask for help as Mr Stefanov films the sad ordeal. More staff quickly surround the woman as her begging grows louder. At one point she even drops to her knees before placing her hand on the door as tears roll down her face. Mr Stefanov said the whole situation 'escalated quickly'. 'She was pleading with us not to leave, but we were threatened that the entire flight would be cancelled if we didn't get on the bus, so passengers became frightened and left,' he said. Mr Stefanov said many onlookers were also shocked by how the staff treated her with next to no compassion. It has also been claimed that another passenger stood behind the woman in line was removed from the flight. A Ryanair staff member allegedly said that they couldn't let him on because 'reopening the gate risked the woman trying to get on the bus'. The viral footage soon caught the eye of Bulgaria's parliament. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov has reportedly ordered an inspection of the airport's security cameras. Mr Karadjov is even said to have described the behaviour of employees in the video as 'outrageous', reports. He has assured people that the main ground operator will be found and given the 'highest fine' and a verbal warning. In response, Goldair Handling Bulgaria insisted their employees acted 'professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger'. The handling company released a statement to BNT News that read: 'All rules regarding passengers' baggage, its permissible size and the fees payable for baggage are determined solely, entirely and unilaterally by the airlines. 'Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is solely obliged to monitor compliance with these rules by the airlines. 'This also applies to hand luggage, as Goldair Handling Bulgaria OOD is obliged to monitor the dimensions of this baggage and collect excess baggage fees. '[Staff] acted professionally and without any physical contact with the passenger.' It comes as Ryanair's CEO is considering increasing bonuses paid to staff for spotting oversized luggage. The budget airline currently pays staff approximately €1.50 (AU$2.66) for stopping passengers with oversized bags from boarding the aircraft. Currently, staff bonuses for doing this are capped at €80 (AU$143) a month. Passengers who are unlucky enough to get caught out by the airline's staff are charged a fee of up to €75 (AU$134) for bringing luggage that is larger than they paid for while booking their journey.
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Pure hell' as passengers break bones leaping from plane wing
Passengers have claimed it was 'pure hell and chaos' on the Ryanair flight where people were injured when they leapt metres down from the wing. Protocol allegedly went out the window when a steward ran down the aisle screaming 'evacuate, evacuate' and panicked passengers clamoured to escape after a false fire alert. Footage of the Manchester-bound plane on the tarmac in Palma, Majorca shows a cluster of people on the wing - with some plunging to the ground. Multiple passengers required surgery for badly broken bones after crunching onto the tarmac metres below - despite the airline claiming only 'very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.)' were sustained. Francine Elkinson, 57, suffered a bad break to her right foot and had to undergo a three-hour operation to have pins and plates inserted. Speaking from her hospital bed in Palma on Monday, Francine told The Sun: 'I was watching a film when suddenly they shouted for everyone to evacuate. 'There was an open door and I just went through it. I was so terrified and in a daze that I didn't know what was going on, and I jumped. 'If there had been someone over the tannoy telling me where to go I would have been able to make it to a slide, and I wouldn't be in this state.' Francine said she was among three people taken to the hospital in Palma - and believes there were six overall with broken bones. Emergency services in Majorca reported that 18 people had been injured in total. Ryanair has organised for Francine to return to the UK on a flight this evening - but she said she is 'terrified' and doesn't want to fly again. Her friend, Danielle Kelly, 56, was back in surgery on Monday for a third operation after breaks to her foot, wrist and elbow all needed pins inserting. Other passengers who were on-board have blamed the Ryanair staff for the 'totally chaotic' evacuation. Richard and Jo Barton, from Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, slammed the airline team's behaviour as 'appalling', insisting: 'They completely failed.' Richard, in his late sixties, said: 'I can't believe what Ryanair are currently claiming. 'They're brushing it off as just a few sprained ankles and banal injuries- that's not what happened. Jo, in her early 60s, said: 'I witnessed a woman with a dislocated leg in a weird angle, it wasn't just sprains and bruises. 'In reality, it was pure hell and chaos. I could see men even pushing women and children out of the way to get out for safety. 'People were scrambling to get off the plane through the exit doors leading to the wings, with people leaping 15 feet from the wings to the ground. 'Those people broke their arms, legs and shoulders and they were screaming and crying in agony.' Richard pins the chaos on the 'lack of training and terrible handling' by the team of air stewards. He said: 'One them was yelling: 'Evacuate, evacuate!' 'Some lads pushed the emergency exit open over the wing, because that's what you're told to do in the safety briefing, and people went out onto the wing. 'Everyone thought there was a fire and there was nobody at all there to direct them - so some people jumped out of panic.' The former operations director believes even one of the air stewardesses broke her leg after plunging from the wing. 'I know this because I helped carry her 50 yards away from the plane,' he said. The couple claims that after the passengers evacuated, wounded people were lying around in an unsafe area near the plane - and were forced to wait up to 30 minutes for medical help. Passengers were left hanging around with minimal information until a new flight was finally arranged at 7am, Richard said. Ryanair's said: 'This flight from Palma to Manchester July 4 discontinued takeoff due to a false fire warning light indication. 'Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal. 'While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.) and crew requested immediate medical assistance. 'To minimise disruption to passengers, we quickly arranged a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed Palma at 07:05 this morning. 'We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused.' The airline has been approached for further comment.
