Vacation nightmare: Hungarian couple loses EUR 5,000 after being denied boarding on Ryanair flight

A Hungarian couple was not allowed to board a Ryanair flight from Budapest to Rhodes, according to Blikk. One of them told the tabloid that a ground staff member called the police on them, suspecting they were intoxicated. Both passengers were subjected to alcohol and drug tests, which came back negative. As a result of the incident, the couple claims to have lost HUF 2 million (EUR 5,000) due to their ruined holiday and were also blacklisted by Ryanair.

An exciting start to a dream holiday

The couple had been looking forward to their vacation, but instead of enjoying the beaches and cocktails in Rhodes, they were humiliated, had the police called on them, and underwent sobriety and drug tests, Blikk reports. Kinga Piák and István Rill’s “dream holiday” took a sharp turn for the worse last Monday when they were denied boarding on an early morning flight to Rhodes under accusations of being under the influence of alcohol.

Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Kinga and István had been planning their holiday for months. They, along with two Swiss friends, headed to the airport, excited about their stay at a luxury hotel in Rhodes. Ryanair’s flight was scheduled to depart at 6 AM, and both couples arrived at the check-in counter as planned.

Things suddenly went wrong

Kinga told Blikk that she was still a bit sleepy in the early hours but excited about the trip. While waiting for boarding, her partner and a friend went to the restroom. A ground staff member reportedly urged them to hurry up. After rejoining, the staff member accused them of smelling like alcohol and told them they wouldn’t be allowed to board. Despite the fact that they hadn’t consumed any alcohol, they were pulled aside as if they had done something wrong.

The situation worsened when the staff seemed to enjoy their growing panic, as other passengers were getting ready to board. Though initially told they could rush to the plane, their journey ended when four uniformed police officers arrived and escorted them off the bus heading to the aircraft. Other passengers were likely startled by the scene.

Blacklisted by Ryanair

The couple was brought back to the terminal, where the police informed them that their vacation was over. Kinga insisted on sobriety tests, which eventually confirmed that neither of them was under the influence. By the time they were cleared, the flight had already departed, leaving them stranded and humiliated. Their luggage was returned, but they were told they were now blacklisted by Ryanair.

Rhodes, Greece. Photo: depositphotos.com

Frustrated by the incident, the couple plans to take legal action against the airline and Celebi, the company employing the ground staff member responsible for the ordeal. Their lawyer has already begun the necessary procedures.

In response to Blikk’s inquiry, Ryanair stated that by purchasing a ticket, passengers agree to the airline’s terms and conditions, which allow them to deny boarding if a passenger is deemed a threat to themselves, other passengers, or the crew.

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Featured image: depositphotos.com

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