A recent fuss about a five hour runway delay, when passengers had to pay for food and drink, reminded me of my experience in America.
I was on a plane stuck on a runway in the USA. We asked why we were not allowed to get off the plane or be served meals. The crew told us that the plane had to be ready to fly so the tray tables had to be up.
The crew could not let passengers off because the airline could not chase us all over the airport to get everyone back if we were suddenly told we were ready to leave and had a takeoff slot scheduled.
Solution
A passenger with babies and children with serious conditions negotatied for just one person to be allowed off to fetch a pizza - promising to be back in under 15 minutes.
Hearing this another passenger gave the passsenger about to exit a twenty dollar bill and said, "Please get my familly a pizza, too."
Another person, said, "And me!"
The passenger who left the plane ended up coming back with about twelve boxes of pizza. I thought, silly of me to be too mean to offer to buy a whole box of pizza and too shy to ask him to carry one more box.
Then I was offered a single piece, leftover.
I asked, "How much do I owe you for the slice?
No charge.
By now everybody had had enough.
Pizza choices
Not everybody wanted the pizza. Some people wanted meat and not vegetarian, or vice versa. Some had already eaten their own food. Some were asleep.
Some of the families had enough leftovers to sell half a box. Then some shared around a piece or two for free to everybody else in that cabin.
Slices and Seats
Researhing online I see that Pizza Hut offers the largest box with 12 slices. Ten boxes would be 120 slices.
How many seats in a cabin? Depending on the size of the aircraft. In some cabins in Economy as many as 301 seats.
If you let three passengers off to buy 12 pizzas, that would be enough. At a small pizza outlet, would the first man ordering 10 pizzas delay the second man?
Ryanair
So, what about Ryanair? I have been on Ryanair several times. They offer cheap flights. They make up money by charging for food and drink. According to comments in the Daily Mail, staff are not allowed to give out free food and drink and even have to buy their own food.
Some people are outraged and complain that other airlines give out free water or both free food and water during delays.
Other comments are along the lines of you get what you pay for. You shuld not expect nor demand more. One phrase used was 'beer money for Champagne service'.
Other budget airlines which may have different policies include:
You could check the company's food pricing policy and write and ask the airline what happens during delays if you are not prepared to pay in those circumstances, before making future bookings.
EasyJet plane with the company's phone number.
Water And Laws
In my opinion the law should require an airline to stock and serve free water after a two hour delay. Or allow one passener per cabin to go off and bring back supplies. Or for the airline to order a delivery to the plane.
Useful Websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7516081/Delayed-Ryanair-passengers-furious-crew-charge-water.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed#reader-comments
ryanair.com
singaporeair.com
Angela Lansbury
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