British holidaymakers planning to return to the UK have been warned severe delays at a Spain-operated passport control could cause them major disruptions.
More than 30 passengers at Lanzarote Arrecife Airport have reported being turned away from the flight on July 31 after experiencing long queues to get through security.
One woman claimed she and ’30 other people” missed their flight after “taking too long” to clear the security queue.
She claimed that the delays were so severe that she was turned away at their gate because “it had been closed for further boarding.”
The Brit, who didn’t want to be named, claimed Ryanair then spent approximately 90 minutes to get their bags off the plane, resulting in the flight being delayed.
She told The Olive Press: “Families were split up and I had to get back to Stansted for cancer treatment.
“Ryanair then had to spend an hour and a half getting luggage off of the plane. Therefore we could have boarded during that time. None of us were late to the gate. Disgusting behaviour by a supervisor who made the decision.”
The disgruntled passenger added: “We were told the gate was shut. Families were not given food, or alternative flights and hotels. People are being told to sort themselves out.
“One lady had to wait for her husband and daughter to be removed off the plane as she was left with their other child and had no money on her. I was wearing a lanyard for special needs as I’m a stage four cancer patient!”
Ryanair insisted passport control had caused disruption to the flight and backed the decision not to let the large group board, claiming they had arrived when the gate had already shut.
A spokesperson said: “Due to Passport control delays at Lanzarote Airport (31 July), a number of passengers missed this flight to London Stansted.
“Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight alongside the 140 passengers who did present at the gate on time.
“We regret that these airport passport delays at Lanzarote Airport, which are entirely out of our control, caused passengers to miss their flight.”
The airline also dismissed suggestions that the passengers could have boarded instead of spending over an hour to locate and remove their luggage from the plane.
They noted a manifest is sent to the pilot immediately after boarding is closed and the process cannot be restarted to allow late travellers on the flight.
Lanzarote Airport has faced major disruption in recent weeks after the hub was ordered to stamp the passports of British holidaymakers entering and leaving the island.
The order was issued after it emerged the stamping process had not been appropriately implemented to reduce the risks of long queues forming at security.