World
India
A British mum was left humiliated after she was escorted off a Ryanair flight by police, all over a failed £7 payment for Pringles.
Ann-Marie Murray, 55, was returning from a birthday mini-break in Tenerife with her partner when an unexpected technical issue with the in-flight card machine spiraled into a dramatic ordeal. The incident took place aboard a Ryanair flight from Tenerife to Bristol on March 28.
Murray, a housing association worker from Gloucester, had requested a snack trolley order consisting of Pringles, a bottle of water, and a cola. But when she tried to pay, the in-flight card machine failed to process her transaction.
“I tried to tap and pay, but the machine didn’t work,” she explained. “They brought out another device, but that didn’t work either. I offered to get cash when we landed, but they refused.”
With no cash on her and unable to complete the £7 payment, Murray said she was stunned when the crew announced they had called ahead for police to meet her at the gate. “I honestly thought it was a joke at first,” she said. “I wasn’t being disruptive at all — there were no raised voices.”
To her shock, three police officers boarded the aircraft upon landing and escorted her off, placing her in the back of a police van. Murray claims she did everything she could to resolve the issue and even offered to return the crisps, but the staff declined.
“After I explained everything to the police, they were actually very understanding,” she added. They took me to a cash machine, I paid the £7 — and they even laughed at how ridiculous the situation was.”
Despite resolving the payment, the flight crew reportedly informed her she was now banned from flying with the budget airline.
Ryanair issued a statement defending the crew’s actions, saying, “This passenger attempted to purchase food onboard, however the card did not process payment. As crew looked to resolve the issue, the passenger consumed the items prior to payment and became disruptive. The aircraft was met by local police, and the passenger was removed. Ryanair has a zero-tolerance policy for passenger misconduct.”
However, Ann-Marie strongly disputes the claim of any disruptive behavior, stating she remained calm and cooperative throughout the ordeal.
“I’d never fly with Ryanair again after this,” she said. The incident, which unfolded in front of a plane full of passengers, left her “embarrassed” and “shocked.” She now says the situation has “ruined” what was otherwise a joyful birthday getaway.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed their involvement, stating, “We received a report of a disruptive passenger on an inbound flight. Officers briefly attended but quickly established it was a civil dispute. No further action was taken.”
ALSO READ: ‘I Thought I’d Never Walk Again’, UK Woman Paralysed From Neck After Weight Loss Surgery In Turkey
