Pilot Does “U-Turn” & Returns to Airport For Forgotten Bag
Joe Cortez July 30, 2015
Investigators are looking into a Ryanair flight after the pilot returned to the airport to drop off a bag left onboard.
A pilot could be in hot water after turning a recent Ryanair flight around and returning to the airport over a single piece of luggage. Belfast Live reports the unidentified pilot aborted the flight to Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) shortly after takeoff upon realizing a bag from the previous flight was still onboard.
The Boeing 737 reportedly departed from the City of Derry Airport (LDY) just before 6 p.m. local time without incident. About 20 minutes into the flight, however, the pilot announced that they were returning to LDY.
One flyer expressed her frustration to her Facebook friends over the situation. “Only in Derry,” Maoliosa Boyle wrote. “Took off…for Spain and 20 minutes into the flight…’we apologize as we have to turn back, we forgot a bag.’ Seriously! U-turn back.”
The flight resumed its journey to ALC after a one-hour delay.
In a statement to Belfast Live, Ryanair confirmed the incident, blaming the “third-party ground handling agent” for neglecting to remove the suitcase. “The aircraft landed normally, the baggage was removed and the flight departed to Alicante,” said an airline representative. “Ryanair apologized to customers affected by this short delay.”
In a statement to the MailOnline, LDY representatives said they were aware of the situation and apologized “for the inconvenience caused.” Additionally, the airport is reviewing “the circumstances of the incident.”
[Photo: iStock]
The title does not match the article, and the article has poor syntax. The plane did not return to the airport for a forgotten bag. It returned because there was a bag on board which did not belong to any passenger on board. The pilot is unlikely to have stated "we forgot a bag" as this implies one was left at Derry rather than a bag being left on board from the previous flight. The likely issues here have to do with an unmatched bag crossing borders as well as the unlikely possibility of an explosive device. Really, do you read what you write before you post it? Or are the titles deliberate click-bait?