Ryanair flight to Palma: Passengers in Cologne/Bonn held aboard for hours

Hours-long Wait at the Gate: What Travelers Report

What began as a normal Tuesday for vacationers from Germany ended for many with a night on the plane. The Ryanair flight from Cologne/Bonn to Palma, originally scheduled for the afternoon, didn't depart until around 23:31. In between lay almost eight tense hours – mostly aboard or in the terminal.

"We were already on the taxiway"

A passenger who happened to sit next to me in the airport cafe described how the plane first rolled back to the parking position: apparently there was a defect. Then the usual maneuver – transferring to a replacement aircraft. Up to this point it seemed relatively routine, but then things started to spiral out of control.

Counted several times: The cabin crew kept asking the group to show boarding passes and IDs. First someone was missing, then suddenly there was too many again – the check was repeated five times, an older female passenger said. This only fanned the already heated mood on board.

"There were families with small children and some seniors," said a traveler. Many remained particularly nervous because no one explained how long this would all take. Water and snacks were offered only after several hours — some said after about six hours.

A brief breath of relief in the terminal

From time to time everyone was allowed back into the terminal, which eased the situation a bit: fresh air, something to eat, and a visit to the restroom. Nevertheless it was clear that the departure would be pushed further back. Flightradar24 showed the plans being adjusted several times; official statements from the airline were not available in the morning.

In the end, all passengers reached Mallorca—but only deep into the night, around two o'clock in the morning. For some vacationers the annoyance was mainly the wasted time and the manner of communication: little, late, and often contradictory.

Passenger rights

With such long delays, affected passengers may be entitled to compensation, meals or assistance.Those affected should keep boarding passes and receipts and inquire with the airline in writing.

Whether it was a technical problem or organizational glitches at the Cologne/Bonn base – the images of harried parents and tired seniors linger. A few clearer announcements earlier would probably have prevented a lot of frustration.