A Flight Without Luggage: Ryanair’s Security Issue Leaves Passengers in Shock
A group of UK tourists found themselves in an unexpected and stressful situation when their Ryanair flight from Bristol to Gran Canaria took off without a single suitcase on board. The incident, which left passengers stunned, occurred on Friday, July 18, and has since sparked widespread frustration and criticism.
The holidaymakers, who were heading to the popular Spanish island for a much-needed break, arrived at their destination only to discover that none of their checked baggage had been loaded onto the plane. Upon landing, the passengers were informed by the captain about the missing luggage, with the airline citing “time constraints” and a “security issue” at Bristol Airport as the reason.
One of the affected travelers, 22-year-old Madeleine Cooper, shared her experience with SomersetLive. She said that the group had no idea anything was wrong until the captain made the surprising announcement. “We had absolutely no issues at all until we landed,” she explained. “Then the captain said they made the difficult decision to not bring any of our luggage. They wouldn’t say what the security issue was.”
The news came as a major blow to the group, especially as they were left with little to no belongings. Many of them had packed essentials such as clothing, toiletries, and medication, which were now missing. Sophie Payne, another member of the group, revealed that she had to immediately search for a pharmacy in Gran Canaria to get an inhaler for her severe asthma. “We had to rush around looking for something to help me breathe,” she said.
The group was told that their bags would be sent on the next available flight, which was scheduled to depart the following afternoon. However, by 6pm on Saturday, they had received no communication from Ryanair and were only advised to check the airline’s app for updates. This lack of information added to the growing frustration among the passengers.
Madeleine and her friends claimed they spent approximately €60 on transport costs to reach a shopping centre where they could buy clean underwear and other essential items. Sophie described the situation as overwhelming, noting that the heat—reaching 33 degrees Celsius—made things even more challenging. “There was a lot of burnt bodies here,” she joked, referring to the need for extra suncream and other supplies.
Social media quickly became a platform for the affected passengers to express their anger and disappointment. One user wrote, “Great start to the holiday as Ryanair decided to bring 0 of the suitcases from Bristol to Gran Canaria. No heart medication for me tomorrow.” Another shared, “We’ve had to spend over 300 euros on essentials as we have been left with nothing, all of our clothes were in the hold bags, still haven’t heard nothing from Ryanair.” A third simply posted, “Currently in Gran Canaria with zero belongings.”
In response to the incident, a Ryanair spokesperson issued a statement to the Daily Mail. The airline highlighted its strong track record, stating that it operates over 3,600 daily flights across more than 250 destinations and has one of the lowest rates of lost bags—just one per almost 10,000 passengers. The spokesperson attributed the incident to an error by a third-party handling provider at Bristol Airport. “Due to an error by our third-party handling provider at Bristol Airport, a number of bags were regrettably not loaded to this flight from Bristol to Gran Canaria on Friday (July 18). Affected passengers were notified and their bags were rushed on the next flight from Bristol to Gran Canaria, which departed the following afternoon.”
The airline also expressed sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused and emphasized that it is working with the third-party provider to prevent similar issues from happening in the future. Despite these assurances, many passengers remain dissatisfied, questioning the effectiveness of the airline’s communication and customer service during the crisis.
