A couple were kicked off a Ryanair flight after repeatedly asking to use the toilet.
Tim and Joana, from Belgium, were on a plane about to leave for Malaga in Spain when Tim needed to go to the loo, so much so that he was “about to wet himself”.
As soon as the pair boarded, Tim went to a stewardess and asked to use the toilet but was asked to return to his seat. He was told the same again after everyone had boarded and found their seats. He asked one final time as the plane began taxiing to the runway.
The couple claimed the chief cabin attendant suddenly decided to return the plane to its boarding point and called the police on the grounds of “non-compliance with current regulations”.
Joana said: “He was in so much pain that he was squeezing my hand to hold it in. She told my partner that he could go to the toilet, but that the police were on their way. It was unrealistic. They showed no empathy.”zs7
The police arrived and the couple was disembarked, thus cancelling their £400 holiday in Spain.
“It’s embarrassing being escorted out by police. All eyes are on us. It was a Christmas gift. Everything is ruined for an inhumane reason,” Joana lamented.
Ryanair defended itself, saying “the crew of this flight requested police assistance before departure after a passenger became disruptive on board”.
The airline justifies its choice to disembark the couple: “We are committed to ensuring all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment without unnecessary disruptions caused by a small number of unruly passengers.”
The low-cost airline “applies a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct.”
It explains taking such measures “to combat unruly passenger behaviour on board aircraft.” The company’s general transport conditions do not explicitly mention toilet use before take-off.
However, it states that if a passenger “does not comply with crew recommendations and instructions,” they may be “disembarked,” “refused continuation of travel,” or even “prosecuted for any offence committed on board.”
Tim and Joana have filed a complaint with Ryanair, but they say it has so far gone unanswered.
Express.co.uk has contacted Ryanair for comment.