Airport vehicle hits Ryanair aircraft
(file photo)
Passengers on a flight from Malta to Luton were delayed by more than five hours today when their Ryanair Boeing 737 aircraft was hit by a vehicle lifting a wheelchair. The incident happened at about 11 .10 a.m.
Although the damage did not appear to be serious, engineers declared the aircraft unserviceable and the passengers were disembarked.
Ryanair sent another aircraft to pick them up.
The stricken aircraft was kept in Malta for repairs.
A similar case happened at the end of last month, involving an Air Malta aircraft.
Advert
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
No appeals board for first part of power...
Advert
43 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
joe falzon
Aug 15th 2010, 13:25
I have travelled with air malta extensively and I will give the devil hisdue if he deserves it --- I have found the flights enjoyable though sometimes the food could be better, but the same can be said for all airlines. such incidents happen everywhere......I would just like to know whether or not air malta did something for the delayed passengers to make up for their incovenience, for ex: give a voucher for a meal at the airport? Air India once gave me such a voucher after our plane was delayed for 4 hours.
Godfrey Grima
Aug 15th 2010, 18:34
Air Malta HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS INCIDENT. Ryanair's ground handling company is GlobeGround. Please check your facts as, to my mind,what you said constitutes slander.
M. Micallef
Aug 16th 2010, 13:18
Dear Mr. Falzon,
And may we kindly know what Air Malta has got to do do with all of the above? You have it written black on white, together with a file photo of the airline in question and you still insist that Air Malta was to blame and make up for the inconvenience, wow I think this is a record low fro these threads!
Godfrey Grima
Aug 15th 2010, 13:24
@ C Spiteri
Quote - For those who say that Ryan Air has no customer service, now YOU have the answer!! - Unquote
Ryanair did what it was OBLIGED to do by law - MINIMAL care for the passengers. Did they offer any complimentary refreshments on board? Did they even HAVE ENOUGH REFRESHMENTS, for sale even, on the relief flight?
The alternatives to sending a relief plane were putting passengers in a hotel until there are seats available on subsequent flights or cancel the flight altogether and refund the fare.
Having said this Ryanair did not bend over backwards to assist it's passengers. I am actually surprised this incident did not happen earlier on Ryanair flights given that the plane is only on the ground for half the time other airlines allow for a turnaround.
One of these days a passenger is going to be knocked down by ground equipment given that the apron at MIA is increasingly becoming more like a promenade for passengers to stroll on because Ryanair DOES NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE USE OF COACHES.
Gergana Decheva
Aug 15th 2010, 13:02
Ryanair is the company i had the worst experience with in my life yeaterday morning. They tried to rob me blind by making me pay twice for the luggage I had already paid while making my reservation on the phone with the office in UK. I was treated as a criminal and was not boarded because I refused to pay for something I was assured by the UK office is included in the price of the ticket. I was there with a seven- year old child being told to leave my luggage behind!!! I tried to maka a compplaint but it is te only company with no e- mail!!! JUST A FAX NUMBER. The call center phones have been busy for over 24 hours. I m disgusted and as I found out many people have been robbed by the company and never compensated for any damages whatsoever,
Neville Cassar
Aug 15th 2010, 12:50
Authorities please note: As quick as the low cost airlines came.... that quickly they can go!
Wake up MIA.... your reputation is at stake here. MIA is in the airport business... not in the office space leasing business...so get your core product straight!!!
An airport without airlines, is no airport at all. SO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
At what time shall we expect a press statement by MIA about this incident?
Peter Gatt
Aug 15th 2010, 12:33
I recall, with amusement, my Air Malta flight from Lyon many years ago. Very pleasant flight thanks to Air Malta staff.
The flight landed in Malta at around 1am, as scheduled and an airport bus called for the passengers. However, the driver seemed upset that we landed so 'late', so he let out a stream of swear words (in Maltese) while he waited for passengers to embark on the bus. He drove off with a jolt that sent some passengers flying in the bus!
Unknown to him while he was engaged in a monologue of swearing, the microphone was switched on so we could hear all his swearing directed at us!
Fortunately, I was the only one on the bus who could understand what he was saying, since the other passengers were French speaking. ..........what could I say? Bienvenue a Malte!
D.Cachia
Aug 15th 2010, 11:53
These accidents will always happen..... even the otherway around sometimes.Check out this video:http://www.youtube.com/user/bombs001#p/a/u/2/9TugTwO6Zhg
James Borg
Aug 15th 2010, 11:10
For those who would like an answer to all this, I suggest you to investigate yourself. Do not let anyone put words in your mouths, but see for yourself. Go to MIA viewing gallery and watch all the junks that run on the airfields. Trolleys with wobley wheels going from one side to the other (dropping luggage on the way too). Vehicles full of rust and corrosion (maintenance schedule? What's that?) I wonder if vehicles that go in there have an annual vrt. I doubt it as most of them cannot go on public roads as do not have number plates.
And what about driving. There are signs that show a speed limit of 20 and 40 kms/ hour but everyone goes faster than that in there. People whose jobs is to watch for all this are the ones who drive over speed limit all the time. And these usually drive yellow landrovers.
Best airport of the year! Halluna bil kwiet boys please.
Carlsten Xuereb
Aug 15th 2010, 10:55
Are there any bumper to bumper forms to be filled in such instances? Considering the frequency of such events it would be worth having something tailor made :)
Eric Neurink
Aug 15th 2010, 10:48
According to EU regulations; there is good news on the delay as well. Passengers get get a money-refund for the 5 hour delay.
Look on this website: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/flight-delays
Good luck to all..
James Graham
Aug 16th 2010, 07:43
@Eric Neurink
The EU directive provides for 2 elements in the event of a long delay, the first being care and the second compensation.
Care should have come in the form of a refreshments voucher, but there would have been no compensation, as this incident was clearly outside the control of the airline, a so called 'extra ordinary' circumstance.
For anyone interested, the definitive reference can be found by following this link http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/passenger_rights/doc/2008/q_and_a_en.pdf
Charles Micallef
Aug 15th 2010, 10:23
@Mario Borg
This is not speeding but maneuvering, it seems to be free for all on MIA Apron, I know through a airline pilot friend of mine, that these incidents have become the butt of many jokes between them!
D. Scerri
Aug 15th 2010, 09:45
No wonder there are so many accidents in our streets!
Michael Borg
Aug 15th 2010, 09:44
Maybe we need to install a speed camera as well ??????
j n ebejer
Aug 15th 2010, 09:37
Nhaseb ir riforma tat trasport ser jkollha ssir ghal vetturi u x xufiera ta l-ajruport wkoll.
G Camilleri
Aug 15th 2010, 10:33
Good one hehe
John Carmel Navarro
Aug 15th 2010, 09:18
Serious doubts about how competent are these drivers, colliding with a stationary aircraft leaves one to wonder. This is not the first time.
Joseph V Borg
Aug 15th 2010, 09:14
In this Nation we have to enforce accountability throughout irrespectively, otherwise we will never grow up!
tony abela
Aug 15th 2010, 08:51
It will be very interesting to know who were the Ground Handling Agency that each of these incidents involving vehicle/aircraft incidents.
Until recently these incidents well almost never heard of at our International Airport.
There must be a reason for all this. it could be pressure on the workers for fast turn-rounds or profit making by the Handling Agency. It could be lack of proper filtering when employing these drivers. It could be long working hours of these drivers, or a number of other reasons.
I do not think that this is carelessness on the part of the drivers involved, otherwise would have already been sacked.
What is the Civil Aviation Branch of the Transport Authority doing to ensure that these accidents do not happen?
Neville Calleja
Aug 15th 2010, 10:06
The tragedy is that Ryanair and Airmalta use different ground handling agents. That means that the incidents involved both agencies - there must be something else - or simply the same drivers!
Ian Pace
Aug 15th 2010, 08:44
And we get this from the "Best Airport". Who knows what happens at the last one on the list! It would be interesting to discover these drivers' history on the actual road! I mean come on, for heavens sake, if you can't see an aircraft........ imagine a puschair or a pedestrian crossing!
Robert Calafato
Aug 15th 2010, 08:30
We must have the highest "hit" rate of any airport in the world!
But then this is what you get in a country where the culture of responsibility and accountability is non-existent. On the contrary, anybody who dares to promote this "alien" culture here is immediately ridiculed and promptly dismissed as one of those who think that they are "perfect". I wonder why?!!!!
Louis V. Gatt
Aug 15th 2010, 06:46
This may be an unfortunate accident but quite serious one too. Unlike any other 'transport' vehicles, the integrity of any aircraft must to be 100%. Ryanair shows it's good qualities by declaring it's aircraft unserviceable rather than remotely risk people's lives. Well done Ryanair.
As to the accident, I would like to see an enquiry to see the circumstances in which the accident happened. This is serious and could have had devastating results. Whatever the case, it should have never happened and certainly should never happen again.
Tony Bonello
Aug 15th 2010, 08:25
This is the third this year Egypt Air, Air Malta and now Ryan Air which airline is next. The last accident is less than 2 weeks old.
c spiteri
Aug 15th 2010, 04:18
AGAIN AND A AGAIN
G Falzon
Aug 15th 2010, 03:38
What is this? It is happening too often! Are drivers being drunk or tired? This frequency should be taken very very seriously by MT.
Colin Vassalo
Aug 15th 2010, 03:32
LOL!!! Someone needs to give all airport drivers a refresh on how to drive on the airport tarmac!!
Claire Busuttil
Aug 15th 2010, 01:46
Malta ....the safest place on earth!!!......
A. Mifsud
Aug 14th 2010, 23:42
Collisions between airport vehicles and aircraft are becoming too common lately. Unless it's not a deliberate act of sabotage, carelessness of the individuals operating these vehicles remains to blame. I wonder what sort of training these highly paid individuals get (if any) before they are assigned a job at the airport.
s degabriele
Aug 15th 2010, 09:11
Globe ground highly paid indivduals more like minimum wage
S Farrugia
Aug 14th 2010, 23:17
It's becoming a fashion now. ;)
frank grech
Aug 14th 2010, 22:24
OH NO, not again!!!!!
martin saliba
Aug 14th 2010, 21:42
Is this the third time this year ? I stand to be corrected but if so how ? Is a case of who you know and not what you now ?
Franco Farrugia
Aug 14th 2010, 21:28
Another hit? In the space of ... what, two, three weeks? Are security procedures being followed to the letter at MIA?
Adrian Allain
Aug 14th 2010, 21:15
30 December 2009......30 July 2010.........14 August 2010. Three such incidents within the past 8 months. Something very wrong here. What's the solution?
M.bEZZINA
Aug 15th 2010, 12:07
Try do it yrself!!!:-))))))))) then speak!!
Adrian Allain
Aug 16th 2010, 18:22
M.bEZZINA I spent 39 years of my life driving on active airfields amongst aircraft; including 3 years at Luqa, when it was a lot busier than it is now. It's very sad when people can't do the job, that they are paid to do, professionally and without inconveniencing so many people.
Charles Micallef
Aug 14th 2010, 21:06
Has anyone been counting how many such accidents have occurred at MIA recently, I bet there were more such incidents than Gatwick or Heathrow!
It will be difficult for the driver to claim that he / she did'nt see the other vehicle, or is it?
C Spiteri
Aug 14th 2010, 20:35
For those who say that Ryan Air has no customer service, now YOU have the answer!!
Tony Bonello
Aug 15th 2010, 08:24
Hahahahaha joke of the year
Peter Vella
Aug 15th 2010, 09:10
Do you mean quality control? An example of impeccable customer service would be to offer free meals to customers while enduring their delay, with the possibility of relocating them to a hotel during the interviening period and, more importantly, keeping them informed of the intended plan of repatriating them to their location. Clearly the information contained to this report does not offer a basis for any of these premises to be made, unless, of course, you have insider information as a Ryanair stakeholder or employee.
Alfred Demicoli
Aug 15th 2010, 16:01
This is not customer service. Customer service is about going beyond the obligations. Ryanair did the only sensible thing there was to be done. The question is who is going to foot the repair and expenses bill - Ryanair or their ground handling agents?
Please choose the reason of your report below: