A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 has been impounded due to debts that the budget airline failed to repay. The aircraft, bound for London’s Stansted airport, was preparing to depart Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport in southwestern France when it was seized by the French government.
The airline had failed to pay back subsidies from the 2008-2009 period in which they were originally given to Angoulême to London flights, however, these were later to be found to be illegal by the European Union. The airline was ordered to pay back the money by authorities in 2014 and after a final warning letter was sent in May with no avail the French government decided to act, impounding Ryanair’s jet until the money was paid. Ryanair later paid the $525,000 euros for the jet to be released but not after the 149 passengers who were on the plane were delayed by 5 hours and only given a notification that the flight had been delayed and a 5 euro food voucher both via text message with no Ryanair personnel at the airport to assist. “I found it strange that the police were the only ones giving us information, the airport staff told us there was an issue with the plane,” said passenger Boris Hejblum while also noting that the 5 euro food voucher was “less than what a sandwich cost at the airport café”.
Ryanair has declined to comment on the matter in an attempt to most likely “brush it off” after recent controversy with racist people not getting removed from a plane and two aircraft almost hitting each other mid-air. It offers some of the lowest fares around Europe and has a reputation for being “poor but cheap”.
Ryanair’s Boeing 737 Max 200, the 200 in reference in to how many seats it will hold full image credit
