Aer Lingus to Nigel Owen’s rescue after Ryanair policy leaves him grounded

Aer Lingus stepped in to get rugby union referee Nigel Owens to Ireland today to officiate at Leinster v Zebre in the PRO12 tonight, after he was unable to board the Ryanair flight he had booked.

The well-liked Welshman had an emergency on his hands this morning - he was unaware he needed his passport to fly from Bristol to Dublin with Ryanair and had arrived at the airport without it.