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Passenger Banned from Ryanair After Snack Dispute

A woman has found herself banned from flying with low-cost airline Ryanair following an incident over snack purchases. Ann-Marie Murray, who attempted to buy chips and began eating them despite her credit card failing, was met with police intervention upon landing.

After enjoying a four-night birthday getaway to the Canary Islands, 55-year-old Ann-Marie Murray was on her return flight from Tenerife to Bristol, England, when she ordered a few snacks, including a can of Pringles and a drink, totaling approximately £7 (around $9.27 USD).

During the transaction, Murray’s card was declined. Attempts to process the payment with a second card reader were unsuccessful, and, without cash, Murray offered to withdraw money from an ATM upon landing. However, airline staff instructed her not to do so, according to her account to The Mirror UK.

Her partner questioned the crew about returning the snacks, but staff declined to take them back, prompting Murray to start eating the Pringles.

In contrast, Ryanair released a statement claiming that Murray ignored crew instructions while consuming the items without prior payment, ultimately becoming disruptive during the incident.

Responding to these claims, Murray expressed her disbelief, stating, “I wasn’t disruptive. There were no raised voices,” highlighting the discrepancy between her perception of events and the airline’s narrative.

Ryanair escalated the situation by contacting local authorities. According to Avon and Somerset Police, they received a report of a “disruptive passenger” on the flight, leading to their presence at the arrival gate. Upon investigation, police determined the issue was a civil matter and did not take further action.

Murray described her shock at the arrival of law enforcement, remarking, “I thought it was a joke when the crew said they had called the police.” She added that the encounter felt embarrassing and daunting, especially given her attempts to rectify the situation.

Additionally, tension may have escalated because Murray filmed the incident, despite crew members requesting that she refrain from doing so. Footage from her recording has surfaced online, showcasing the politeness of the officers who met her at the airport, with one officer even inquiring about her trip.

After eventually settling the payment for her snacks, crew members informed Murray and her partner of their ban from flying with Ryanair in the future. Reflecting on her experience, Murray stated, “But I’d never fly with them again anyway after what happened.”

Source
www.travelandleisure.com