Dozens of passengers were left stranded in Portugal after a chaotic experience at passport control caused them to miss their Ryanair flight back to Dublin. Flight FR7337, scheduled to depart Lisbon Airport at 10 PM on September 20, faced significant delays and confusion, leading to over 60 passengers being unable to board.
The incident began when passengers, arrived at the airport over three hours before their flight. Initially, the flight was displayed as delayed, leading them to believe they had ample time. However, as they waited in line for passport control, they noticed the flight time reverted to 10 PM, creating a rush to the boarding gate.
Passengers who missed the flight were escorted back to the Ryanair desk, where they were offered the option to rebook for a fee of €100.
Ryanair responded to the incident, stating that the gate was scheduled to close at 9:30 PM but remained open until 9:52 PM. They emphasized that it was the passengers’ responsibility to present themselves at the gate on time. However, they acknowledged that staff shortages at passport control played a role in the delays.
