Ryanair flight lands at wrong airport

A BLUNDERING pilot was last night facing the sack after landing his passenger jet in a military airfield by mistake.

He touched down the Ryanair flight from Liverpool five miles short of his intended destination at City of Derry Airport.

As the 39 passengers and six crew were taken away from Ballykelly airbase by coach, the pilot was ordered to explain himself.

At the same time his jet was grounded as Civil Aviation Authority investigators began an inquiry.

Budget airline Ryanair said it was the first time in 20 years of operating there had been an incident of this type.

A spokesman for the company said: “Such a mistake has never occurred before.”

The Airbus A320 was operated on behalf of the airline by Eirjet, which is based in Shannon, Co Clare.

Flight FR9884 had been on its way across the Irish Sea when the pilot was cleared by Air Traffic Control at City of Derry for a visual approach.

But, after circling for a time, he then mistook the military landing strip at nearby Ballykelly for the commercial airport.

Stunned soldiers took photographs of the aircraft after the pilot announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed at the wrong airport. I would ask you to be patient with us.”

They then had to wait until steps were brought from the neighbouring airport to allow them disembark.

One passenger said: “As soon as we arrived at the military army base the pilot apologised that we may have arrived at the wrong airport. Everyone started laughing and thought it was a joke.

“I saw it from my own eyes when I looked out and saw army officers everywhere. It was just unbelievable. I think the army officers were actually shocked themselves and started taking photographs.”

One man from Offaly said he feared they were going to crash.

At no stage was the flight in any danger, Ryanair said.

But the spokesman confirmed: “This incident arose as a result of an error by the Eirjet’s pilot, who mistakenly believed he was on a visual approach to City of Derry airport.

“The Eirjet pilot was cleared by Air Traffic Control in City of Derry for a visual approach and mistook the nearby Ballykelly for City of Derry. All passenger disembarked the aircraft normally and were coached to City of Derry airport.”

Both the CAA and IAA (Irish Aviation Authority) were notified.

The Ryanair spokesman added: “We have also asked Eirjet, the operator of the aircraft, to carry out a full investigation into this matter as in over seven years of Ryanair flights into City of Derry airport and over 20 years of Ryanair operated flights such a mistake has never occurred before.”

No one from Eirjet was available for comment.