Couple Claims Ryanair Flew Them To Wrong Country, Demands Apology And Reimbursement From Airline

A U.K. couple claimed they landed in the wrong country after Ryanair put them on the wrong flight. They are now urging the airline to make an apology and reimburse their tickets as well as the expenses they incurred after the incident.

Simon Forster and Emma Schofield, from Manchester, said they planned a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, a few days before Christmas but ended up landing at an airport near Paris, France, which is 750 miles away from their supposed destination, Manchester Evening News reported.

On the day of their journey, the couple reportedly reached their departure gate at the Manchester Airport after battling a "horrendous" queue at the security check caused by the Christmas rush. At the gate, a Ryanair staff member allegedly asked if they were bound for Copenhagen and checked their passports and boarding passes before ushering them downstairs. They were soon made to board the only waiting plane on the runway.

Forster said they tried to show their boarding passes to a cabin crew member while boarding the aircraft. However, the attendant allegedly dismissed them, saying, "Oh don't worry about it," and asked them to take their seats, according to the report.

The couple realized the mistake only when they were greeted with "bonjour" at the passport control office in an airport in the French city of Beauvais.

"We landed in less time than we expected and as we walked into the airport I thought I didn't recognize it and I go to Copenhagen quite a lot. We were greeted at passport control with 'Bonjour' and it became apparent that we were in France," they recalled.

The couple had to spend the weekend in France before flying home on a different airline.

"I would like to understand how on earth this happened. If you put passengers on the wrong plane to the wrong country, you expect an apology," Forster was cited as saying by Manchester Evening News.

Forster and Schofield are now seeking an apology from the airline. They are also demanding reimbursement for their flight tickets as well as the expenses they incurred in Paris, which amounted to more than $1,260.

In response, Ryanair said in a statement that it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure that they are boarding the right aircraft, according to Wales Online. The airline also said it provides several "touchpoints" to inform passengers of the aircraft's destination, including announcements on board.

However, Foster said they did not hear any such announcements in English.