MICHAEL O’Leary has made enormous efforts to make Ryanair a tad more user-friendly - but even he would probably draw the line at anyone flagging down one of his Boeing 737s like a taxi.
Yet that’s exactly what one Italian couple tried to do in Malta.
Matteo Clementi (26) and his girlfriend Enrica Apollonio (23) were held up by traffic on their way to Valletta Airport and arrived at their gate too late to board — even though the plane was still on the apron.
Undeterred, they rushed to an adjacent gate, which was unmanned, broke through the security doors, and headed out onto the runway.
Once outside they waved and gesticulated at the pilot of the plane, indicating that they wanted to board.
But he remained totally unmoved by their plight; as, apart from any other issues, the Boeing 737’s engines had already been fired up and the steps removed.
Instead he alerted security forces.
Consequently the couple spent the night in a cell and the next day found themselves in court.
They could have faced two years in jail for jeopardizing the safety of the airport, but were let off with a €2,000 fine.
