Ryanair flight departs France without 192 passengers

A Ryanair flight from France’s Grand Est region to Marrakesh departed without its passengers due to insufficient staff to carry out check-in and security procedures.

It meant 192 passengers were stranded on April 14 at Vatry Airport in Marne when security personnel responsible for boarding, provided by the company Sécurus, were reported to be on sick leave.

The issue was initially communicated via a message on the Ryanair app, which read: “Due to an unexpected strike by security staff we advise all passengers on flight FR4408 to Marrakesh to return home and rebook another flight via the Ryanair app.”

However, Fabrice Pauquet, director of Vatry Airport, told The Connexion that the disruption was not due to a strike but rather staff absences: “We have a security provider, an external company, Sécurus, that handles security for departing flights. 

"We were informed when we opened the terminal they were not yet there. Eight workers had been scheduled to handle the flight but six or seven of them were on sick leave,” Mr Pauquet said.

Passengers waited roughly three hours in the terminal while a solution was sought, however Sécurus management said that a replacement team could not be deployed in time to meet Ryanair's flight schedule. 

As the aircraft was needed for another destination it ended up leaving empty for Marrakesh. “Because there was no security screening there were no passengers on the plane, no one could board,” Mr Pauquet said. 

Compensation uncertainties

Mr Pauquet stated that the airport would not pay any compensation, saying: “Passengers must go through the airline for compensation, because the contractual relationship is between the airline and the passenger, not us. We have a relationship with the airline, but not with the passenger.”

Ryanair stated that the disruption was caused by circumstances beyond its control. Its website states that under EU air passenger rights regulations, compensation is not required in cases classified as “extraordinary circumstances,” such as strikes…medical emergencies…provided that all reasonable measures have been taken to avoid the disruption. 

While the situation at Vatry is still being assessed, it may fall under this category due to the reported unavailability of security staff caused by widespread sick leave.

Mr Pauquet also said: “There is no contractual link between Ryanair and Sécurus. So the European regulation – regulation 261 – does not apply.” This regulation establishes common rules on compensation and assistance for passengers in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays.

The Ryanair press office told The Connexion that "all passengers that were at the boarding gate when the flight from Paris Vatry boarded were accommodated and travelled without incident," adding that "some passengers missed their flight, solely because they were not in the boarding gate area when boarding for their flight opened and closed."