Passenger got nearly sucked out of airplane window mid-flight. Ryanair says: ‘We are very happy with safety’

Ryanair has officially moved to reassure its passengers that its fleet remains safe following a terrifying incident where a traveler was nearly pulled out of an airplane window mid-flight, The Guardian reported. The incident occurred this month during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, when engine failure caused debris to shatter an acrylic window.

Ljubisa Karović, 61, was sucked out headfirst before his wife, Svetlana Grković, grabbed his legs. She was able to pull him back inside with the assistance of two other passengers. Neil Sorahan, the group chief financial officer for Ryanair, praised the crew for their swift actions. He said, “Our crew did a phenomenal job and got the aircraft back to Thessaloniki. Everyone bar none walked off the aircraft. It was a great job done by the cabin crew and the pilots.”

The airline is now cooperating with an investigation led by the US National Transportation Safety Board, which was appointed last week. The flight was operated by Malta Air, a subsidiary of Ryanair, using a Boeing 737. Sorahan stated, “We welcome the appointment of the NTSB. They are going to do a full, independent investigation. We are participating fully. We have people on the ground actively involved in assisting.”

Boeing 737 is a safe aircraft, according to Ryanair CFO

Regarding the safety of the broader fleet, Sorahan emphasized that neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor the European Union Aviation Safety Agency have requested any operational changes. He maintained that the airline remains confident in its maintenance standards and the reliability of the aircraft.

“We are very happy with safety across all of our five airlines, they operate at the highest standards of European aviation regulations,” Sorahan said. “We have a relatively young fleet and are very pleased with safety and maintenance within Ryanair group.” He added that the Boeing 737 is globally recognized as a safe aircraft, noting that there have been hundreds of millions of flights on these models.

While the airline deals with the aftermath of this incident, it is also navigating a challenging financial landscape. Ryanair reported on Monday that its profits after tax dropped by 34% to €538m ($614m) during the three months ending in June. This decline is largely attributed to jet fuel prices, which doubled during the period. Although passenger numbers grew by 6% to 61.3 million, the airline had to lower average fares by 6% to encourage travel amid economic uncertainty and regional conflicts.

Beyond safety and finances, the airline is currently pushing back against the implementation of the new digital entry-exit system in the European Union. Sorahan described the system as poorly implemented and warned that it is causing significant delays for travelers. He noted that the process, which requires fingerprints and photos, has tripled the time needed to clear passport control at various airports.

Ryanair has identified several hotspots, including Lisbon, Madrid, and Milan, where passengers are facing excessive wait times. As the summer season continues, the airline suggests that travelers should prepare for potential delays and arrive at airports earlier than usual. Sorahan also noted that the potential sale of easyJet could lead to further industry consolidation, which remains a factor to watch in the European aviation market.