A Ryanair flight to Bologna delayed its departure from Palma de Mallorca by 18 hours. Passengers report lack of assistance and poor communication.
A group of 150 passengers experienced a nightmare lasting almost 24 hours, of which 18 were spent inside Palma de Mallorca airport, after their Ryanair flight to Bologna suffered a massive delay. The plane was scheduled to take off on July 26 at 6:55 AM, but it eventually did not leave until 1:00 AM, landing in Italy two hours later.
Giangiuseppe Grassi, an official with experience as a travel agent and one of the affected passengers, reported the situation:
“No one provided us with assistance, neither the airport staff nor the airline. We tried to contact customer service and the airport authorities, but we received no response regarding our flight.”
According to Grassi, by early afternoon only a few passengers received a notification about a new flight that would depart at 11:45 PM. However, at the airport, no one knew anything about that notice; it didn't even appear on the information screens. “It was a real ghost flight, which also ended up departing from a different boarding gate than originally scheduled,” he added.
Many of the trapped passengers did not receive this communication, so they decided to leave the premises while waiting for official information. Grassi recounted how two girls ran to the counter in a desperate attempt to board:
“They found out about the flight by chance, while talking to other passengers who were also waiting.”
The passenger highlighted that, despite the nearly 20-hour wait, everyone remained calm and composed, even with children and elderly people among them. “Obviously, we will file a reimbursement claim, but we also expect a formal apology from both Ryanair and Palma de Mallorca airport,” he concluded.
For its part, the airline justified the incident by explaining that “the flight was delayed due to a minor technical issue and subsequent storms recorded at Palma de Mallorca airport.” According to the company, passengers received communications via email and push notifications, as well as updates through the Ryanair app, and food and drink vouchers were distributed during the wait. To minimise inconvenience, a replacement aircraft was arranged, which took off at 00:30 local time.
The company’s version contrasts with that of the affected passengers, who deny having received adequate assistance. The incident highlights the shortcomings in passenger care during prolonged delays, especially at an airport like Palma, which experiences a high volume of tourist traffic during the summer.
The affected passengers have already announced that they will file reimbursement claims and possible compensation, supported by European regulations that establish compensation for delays exceeding three hours on intra-community flights. The experience has caused discontent among tourists, who are awaiting a formal response from Ryanair and Son Sant Joan airport.
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