Ryanair apologise for airport delays

Ryanair was forced to issue apologies on Sunday after 700 people missed their flights at Stansted Airport the previous day. While the airline blamed the delays on staff shortages at it's ground handling agent Swissport, a spokesperson for Stansted Airport said that they could not understand why the airline had opened just 11 bag drop desks on one of the busiest travel days of the year. The previous Saturday the airline had opened more than double the number of desks.

Meanwhile at Dublin Airport, the DAA had to allocate extra space to Ryanair passengers after queues of 40 minute duration formed at the check in desks on Saturday afternoon. Ryanair opened extra check in desks to ease the pressure.

A statement on the airline's web site said that Ryanair operates an on line check in service and that there is no reason for passengers to queue for airport check in. It would appear that the travelling public, especially occasional travellers are having difficulty in understanding the check in process, especially when it is in what would seem to be a constant state of evolution.

Both incidents are embarrassing for the airline, but especially the Dublin situation after the airline recently engaged in a public war of words with the DAA over security delays at Dublin Airport.