Storm caused 'scariest' flight ever for Navan native

Louise Walsh

A shaken mother who decided to get off a Ryanair flight when it was diverted to Manchester after two failed attempts to land in Dublin during Storm Isha said it was 'the scariest' flight she has ever been on.

Rachel Finnegan was flying home from Copenhagen with her husband and three-year-old son when high winds forced the plane to divert to the UK airport after failing to land in Dublin on Sunday morning.

Rachel, who is from Navan but lives in Dunleer, Co Louth said she was so glad to get off the plane but couldn't stop thinking about the other passengers who decided to stay on board and eventually land in Liverpool after subsequent unsuccessful attempts to land in Dublin.

"I knew there was a storm forecast on our way home but I thought it was scheduled for later that day, and as our flight left Copenhagen at 10.30am, I thought we would be home before it hit," she said.

"When we tried to land at Dublin, the plane was all over the place. It was descending, descending, descending and then it suddenly went up again. The pilot then said he would make a second approach.

"I was so scared. My three year old boy was screaming his head off. I don't think he knew what was happening but just that he needed to go to the toilet.

"Everyone's stomach was jumping, like in a rollercoaster. I couldn't even look out the window but my husband said we were nearly on the ground but then the plane went up in the air again. I've never been so scared in my life.

"I was burying my face in my husband's shoulder while trying to comfort my son.

"Then the pilot said we were going to Manchester and I was just so relieved we weren't going to try and land again.

"When we landed in Manchester, we received a text from Ryanair to say that we would try for Dublin again in a little while. I couldn't understand this because the forecast was only to get worse. I couldn't understand who was making that decision.

"There was very little food on board and it was lunchtime. We were told that staff weren't allowed to offer food when on the ground so I had to buy my son a chocolate bar for his lunch.

"My husband suffers from back pain and he gave his last paracetamol to a lady who was suffering with a migraine.

"The cabin crew were all lovely and were trying their best but they couldn't give us answers. The pilot did his best to get everyone home but they can't control the weather.

"We were told that we could leave the flight if we wanted but that we were then no longer the responsibility of Ryanair. I booked a hotel there and then on my phone, I just wanted off the flight

"Then we were told that we had to wait for ground staff to assist us off the plane as they were under pressure due to so many emergency landings. Then we were told only those with British passports could disembark because the airport was so chaotic but eventually they said that those with Irish passports could also get off.

"There was no way I was staying on that flight. I was too scared. I was so glad to get off but I couldn't stop thinking of all the passengers who stayed on because I believe they had a worse nightmare after that and eventually landed in Liverpool.

"We got a Ryanair flight home the next day and thankfully it was a very smooth landing.

"I'm really annoyed though that a decision was made to keep people on the plane and try to land again when all the forecasts showed the storm only getting worse. I just couldn't understand why the flight wasn't aborted at Manchester until the next day.

"I'm not a nervous flyer and it hasn't put me off flying but it was definitely the scariest flight I've ever been on. I only got home late on Monday night and I'm shaken thinking about it."

Ryanair commented on the flying circumstances during Storm Isha:

“Due to Storm Isha, some flights to/from the UK and Ireland (Sun, 21st Jan & Mon, 22nd Jan) were regrettably disrupted, including this flight from Copenhagen to Dublin (21st Jan).

"Due to the unsafe weather conditions at Dublin Airport, this flight diverted to Manchester before continuing to Dublin once weather conditions had improved. Regrettably, weather conditions at Dublin Airport worsened again and this flight diverted to Liverpool, where it was delayed overnight.

"Despite Ryanair’s efforts to arrange accommodation for passengers, availability was limited, and passengers were advised that they could also arrange individual accommodation and that they could claim back expenses on Ryanair.com.

"Ryanair sincerely apologises to all passengers affected by these storm-related disruptions, which are entirely beyond our control and have impacted all airlines operating to/from the UK and Ireland.”