Grandmother ‘humiliated’ by Ryanair staff

A 69-year-old grandmother claims she was “humiliated, embarrassed and stripped of all my dignity” when staff at Ryanair forced her to lift her shirt and display a colostomy bag she was wearing before allowing her to bring life-saving medical equipment on board a flight from Fuertaventura in Spain.

The incident took place in early May before a queue of passengers waiting to board a Dublin-bound plane.

Yesterday, Frances Duff from Termonfeckin, Co Louth, begged Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary to sit down across a table from her so he could look her in the eye and justify the actions of his staff.

“Three years ago, I had a bowel removed after a blood clot problem,” she said. “I actually went to sleep one day and didn’t wake up for six weeks. I was on a life support machine all that time. As a result, I have to wear a colostomy bag at all times and, as usual when we went on a family holiday for a week, I obtained a letter from my GP stating this.”

She said there was no issue on the way out when staff saw the GP letter.

“However on the return flight, the staff in Fuertaventura wouldn’t have it at all — they just would not listen to reason. It is a life or death situation really. I need this equipment with me wherever I go and when my daughter Patricia, who is my carer, tried to explain to the girl at the check-in, she just dismissed her with a shrug and a wave of her hand.”

But the real insult came just before Ryanair staff agreed to allow Frances carry her medical bag on board.

“I couldn’t believe this but when we eventually got it through to them that I wore a colostomy bag she insisted I lifted up my shirt and showed her it — in full view of everyone else waiting to get on the flight.

“Embarrassed does not even come close to describing how I felt, it was a complete and total loss of dignity as far as I was concerned, and I was in floods of tears at the time, it was humiliating.”

A letter from the Ryanair’s customer service department states: “We pride ourselves upon the high standards of service and professionalism provided by all our staff. I do sincerely regret this was not reflected to you on this occasion.”

The letter then informed Frances that if she had contacted the Special Assistance Line it could have established if the request to bring the medical kit on board could have been approved.

“We tried three times to contact them, there is no email address and they just didn’t answer the phone,” she said.