British tourists on Ryanair flight RK3209 found themselves stranded overnight in Bilbao, Spain, after air traffic controllers chose to clock off early instead of waiting for their aircraft, which had diverted due to a medical emergency on board. The flight, which was traveling from Malaga to Manchester, had to make this unscheduled landing approximately one hour after takeoff, as it was at 36,000 feet when the decision was made to reroute.
Upon landing, the flight was met by medics who attended to the ill passenger before they were taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, confusion set in when the passengers and remaining crew discovered they were abandoned at the airport. Passenger Sara Diggle reported, "They went home so we were unloaded, left high and dry to make our own arrangements for hotels."
Despite significant frustrations among the travelers, an airport spokesperson clarified the reasoning behind the incident. They explained, "I can confirm the flight to Manchester departed on Sunday, at 13:01 local time. It didn’t depart the night before because the flight plan exceeded the operational hours of Bilbao airport."
Diggle recounted her experience during the ordeal, explaining how the situation mirrored her prior experience with another late-night medical diversion to Bordeaux last year. Knowing the drill, she was prepared to arrange accommodations on her own rather than waiting at the deserted airport. "There were no taxis, just ones arranged for the crew. We walked to the nearest airport hotel and checked in," she said.
Many passengers were frustrated not to be kept updated about the situation. "I got a text at least to advise what time the flight would leave Bilbao. Others got nothing—I assume that's because they didn’t register their mobile or didn’t book direct," Diggle noted. The airline, Ryanair, stated, "Passengers were notified of the diversion and advised of their options." They also mentioned efforts to arrange accommodation for the stranded passengers.
Given the nature of the incident, rules governing air passenger rights indicate travelers delayed overnight are entitled to hotel rooms, transport, and meals. Nonetheless, when airlines do not have personnel available at the airport, passengers often must manage their own arrangements and later claim expenses. Ryanair affirmed they would reimburse receipted expenses made by the passengers during this incident.
Ryanair's spokesperson reiterated the airline’s commitment to customer service, saying, "Despite Ryanair's efforts to arrange accommodation for passengers, availability was limited, and passengers were advised they could arrange individual accommodation they could claim back receipted expenses on Ryanair.com. This flight departed for Manchester the following day."
This incident follows Ryanair’s earlier decision to slash thousands of flights to Spain amid disagreements over excessive airport fees charged by Aena, the Spanish airport operator. The budget carrier's actions have led to growing frustration among travelers, especially concerning flight reliability.
Finally, after significant delays due to air traffic challenges and the earlier medical emergency, flight RK3209 did manage to take off from Bilbao at 1 PM on Sunday, March 9, 2025, arriving at Manchester approximately 14 hours later than scheduled. The situation has sparked discussions about the operational responsibilities of airport staff versus airlines during emergency reroutes, and how customer service can be optimized under such circumstances.