Ryanair Seat Snafu: Birmingham To Palma Flight

” Mr. McCormick’s travel companion was not refused boarding however picked not to board and traveling on this trip from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca and was needed to pay a missed out on separation cost to be reserved onto the next readily available flight.”

Ryanair’s Explanation

While some people on social networks thought they were distinguished for not reserving seats– unmasking the so-called hack that doing so will result in reduced airline tickets– Ryanair clarified that it was because the plane itself was changed to one with fewer seats.

“This flight from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca (1 May) was not ‘overbooked’– it was arranged to operate a 737-8200 (197 seats) but also for functional reasons had to be swapped to a 737-800 aircraft (189 seats),” the airline company stated. “As a result, one passenger was not able to travel on this trip and was reaccommodated onto the following offered trip to Palma de Mallorca,” stated a Ryanair representative.

Passenger’s Account

“We went down to ticket sales and they said we still have to pay for one ticket, just one is compensated. One of the seats was placed down as a cancelled booking and the various other was a missed out on trip so we would certainly still need to pay for one seat and be reimbursed for the other,” McCormick said.

Scott McCormick and his girlfriend, Helena Boshwick, both 33, were readied to fly from Birmingham Airport in the UK to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. In an effort to save cash, the pair determined not to pay to get seats on the flight.