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Doctor and child are thrown off Ryanair jet for talking
Nick Pisa, Evening Standard27 Feb 2008
A London doctor is threatening to take Ryanair to court after he claims the airline was heavy handed and threw him off a flight for talking during the safety briefing.
Dr Paolo Tomasi, 47, was ejected with his eight-year-old son after a hostess had told him not to speak during the safety briefing and not to lean across the aisle.
Dr Tomasi is seeking compensation and an apology from the airline.
Dr Tomasi, from Hampstead, was flying from Sardinia to Stansted and was talking to a colleague while the plane was taxiing and staff were giving the safety demonstration.
He said he was asked to "be quiet" by cabin crew and then minutes later another hostess appeared to tell him that he had already been warned about talking and that he should not lean across the aisle as he was distracting crew.
Dr Tomasi said: "First they said I was talking loudly. I wasn't: I was talking normally. And then they said I was leaning across the aisle. I said jokingly 'Well what can you do on Ryanair as everything seems to be banned.'
"The hostess then stormed off and said she was going to speak to the captain about me - the doors had already closed and the plane was moving and it suddenly stopped.
"The captain came on the Tannoy and said the plane was stopping because of an unruly passenger and I was then told to get off the flight. I had to pay another £500 for tickets.
"I have spoken to my solicitor about this and we have written to Ryanair demanding an apology and compensation - if I don't hear then we will issue a county court summons. You cannot treat people like this."
Reader views (1)
I am the passenger involved, and can confirm that all what is in the article is true. However, I would add that the hostess repeatedly used a nasty tone of voice, used the words "we have told you off repeatedly", and openly threatened me of disembarking from the plane if I had continued to talk back to her!
I think that what really annoyed the hostess was my final remark that in my opinion staff "should not 'tell off' passengers, as we pay the fares that keep the company alive". I also think that the limited knowledge of the English language by many Ryanair flight attendants may be a factor in these episodes, which are not infrequent and only appear to involve Ryanair, at least at Alghero Airport (as I was told by the very policeman who escorted me off the plane).
Only in Alghero, they have forced off the plane a child with parents, for having a football in the hand luggage; a passenger for taking his shoes off; 15 unrelated people for laughing at another passenger's joke; and others.
I would like to specify, finally, that at no time during the incident were voices raised, neither by me or the hostess, although I daresay that this would have been well justified, after the incredible epilogue.
I have been travelling by plane for 35 years, and nothing similar to this has ever occurred to me. EasyJet staff, for example, are much more cordial and sympathetic towards their passengers.
My advice is, if you can choose, use another airline!
- Paolo Tomasi, London, UK, 27/02/2008 16:55
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