A Ryanair flight from Spain to Cornwall was diverted multiple times due to bad weather, turning a 2.5-hour trip into an 8-hour loop.
Flight diverted multiple times
A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 flight from Alicante to Newquay, Cornwall, on October 24, 2026, was diverted multiple times due to poor weather conditions, ultimately returning to Alicante after nearly eight hours of travel.Delayed departure and first diversion
The flight, initially scheduled to take about two hours and 25 minutes, departed Alicante at 6:36 p.m. local time, an hour after its scheduled departure. The aircraft was diverted to Dublin due to strong winds at Newquay, landing between 8:45 p.m. and 8:50 p.m. local time in Ireland.Alternative plan and further complications
Ryanair confirmed that the flight was diverted to Dublin due to strong winds at Newquay, stating that the disruption was part of a series of depressions over the British Isles. At Dublin, a replacement plan was organized: flying to Bristol and then transporting passengers to Cornwall by bus. However, the aircraft was unable to land in Bristol due to continued poor weather conditions and instead continued south, crossing the English Channel to return to Spain.Return to Alicante and passenger experience
The aircraft landed in Alicante at 2:15 a.m. on October 25. The passengers thus returned to the airport they had left the previous day, without having been able to disembark in England. A direct connection of less than two and a half hours had turned into a long loop between Spain, Ireland, and the south-west of England.Passenger complaints and airline response
Passengers such as Tim and Kim Clotworthy, a couple from Redruth, reported a lack of information upon returning to Spain and a long wait to get a solution. They criticized the experience, noting that they spent nine hours on the plane without free refreshments and faced confusion upon arrival in Alicante. Ryanair explained that returning the plane and crew to Spain would have helped limit the impact on the next day's schedule, though this was a hypothesis from specialized media and not confirmed by the airline.Compensation and obligations
Weather conditions incompatible with flight operations may exempt the airline from standard compensation if it can demonstrate the existence of extraordinary circumstances and the implementation of reasonable measures. However, this does not eliminate assistance obligations, including catering, accommodation, and transfers if necessary, as well as refund or rebooking solutions provided for by the regulations.
