A Birmingham couple's holiday to Spain began with chaos after Ryanair barred them from boarding, despite the pair both holding valid tickets.
Scott McCormick, 33, and his girlfriend Helena Boshwick were prevented from boarding their May 1 flight from Birmingham Airport to Palma de Mallorca.
Gate staff told the fitness mentor and his partner that the flight was full with only one seat remaining after all passengers had boarded.
The couple were forced to purchase a new ticket for £100 and wait four hours for the next available flight.
Gate staff told fitness mentor McCormick and his partner that the flight was full with only one seat remaining
McCormick claims he still hasn't received the refunds promised by airline staff, the Daily Mail reports.
The couple had opted not to reserve seats before boarding, a common money-saving tactic amongst budget airline passengers. Seat selection on Ryanair typically costs between £4.50 and £33 per seat.
"Me and my partner thought it's not that much of a problem if we're not sitting together for a two-hour flight, we're adults here," McCormick explained.
Despite checking in the night before and being first at the gate, the couple were asked to step aside while other passengers boarded.
"The lady scanned our boarding passes and told us to step to the side for a second. That moment was a red flag... I thought: 'There's something happening here'," McCormick recalled.
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McCormick accused the low-cost carrier of 'discrimination', blasting: 'How do they pick out these people?'
PAThe couple were initially told they could board the next flight and receive full refunds for both tickets.
But when they returned to the check-in desk, the pair said they were informed they still needed to pay for one ticket.
"There was no compassion or care whatsoever," McCormick said. He claimed one seat was marked as a cancelled booking while the other was recorded as a missed flight, affecting their refund eligibility.
McCormick also said he and Boshwick were targeted because they are "young" and childfree.
"It felt like discrimination, how do they pick out these people," he said.
The incident sparked debate on social media when McCormick shared his experience, with some voicing their shock that airlines could deny boarding to ticketed passengers.
"This is crazy! Surely if you pay and don't reserve a seat, you still paid with the intention of getting on a flight how can they not allow you on?" one person commented.
"Prepay for a seat, then problem solved. ALL airlines do this," another jabbed.
While one more commentator blasted: "Why do people still fly with Ryanair? It blows my mind! It's the most awful airline."
A Ryanair spokesman said: "This flight from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca was not 'overbooked' - it was scheduled to operate on a 737-8200 (197 seats) but for operational reasons had to be swapped to a 737-800 aircraft (189 seats).
"As a result, one passenger was unable to travel on this flight, and was reaccommodated onto the next available flight to Palma de Mallorca.
"McCormick’s travel companion was not refused boarding but chose not to board and travel on this flight from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca and was required to pay a Missed Departure fee (£100) to be booked onto the next available flight.
"McCormick was notified by email on the day of travel that he was entitled to claim back reasonable receipted expenses, however McCormick has yet to submit any expense receipts to Ryanair."
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