Furious Ryanair passenger blasts airline after being stopped from boarding flight from Dublin to Gatwick because he was not wearing a face mask

• James Higgins was refused entry as he attempted to board a flight to London 
• Passenger told he needed to wear face mask but airline ‘couldn’t provide one’  
• He claimed he had travelled with Ryanair week earlier and hadn’t needed mask 
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

A furious Ryanair customer has slammed the airline after he was stopped from boarding a flight from Dublin to Gatwick because he wasn’t wearing a face mask.  

James Higgins was refused entry at the boarding gate as he tried to fly from Ireland to the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday.

The Briton said staff insisted he would need to wear a face mask in order to fly, in line with new rules for Ryanair passengers announced by the airline last month. 

But Mr Higgins asserted that if masks are mandatory they should be provided to passengers in the airport – so they don’t end up unable to board.  

He also claimed he had flown with Ryanair a week earlier and hadn’t needed a mask.

James Higgins (pictured) was refused entry at the boarding gate as he tried to fly from Ireland to the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday

In a video posted to Twitter, he said: ‘I’m now getting removed from the airport because I haven’t got a mask to wear on the plane.

‘Although, last week you could do that – this week you can’t do that.

‘They are saying that they don’t have masks, they won’t give me one, but they’re not allowing me to board the plane.’

He added that the airline had reportedly sent an email about the rules, before panning the shot to show another girl who had ended up in the same situation.    

‘If you want people to wear masks on a plane, give them a mask. It’s really simple, they cost two pence if that,’ he added. 

Mr Higgins later claimed on social media he had been removed from the airport, and his phone was searched to ‘delete this video.’ 

He added: ‘Furthermore, I was threatened that if I did share this video that I would be banned from flying with Ryanair.

The Briton said staff (right) insisted he would need to wear a face mask in order to fly, in line with new rules for Ryanair passengers announced by the airline last month

The airline last month announced plans to restore 40 per cent of its normal flight schedules by July 1, making 90 per cent of its route network active again (stock image)

‘I cannot see how that is any way legally enforceable. What is more likely is that this will go down as another humiliating example of how you treat your customers.’

The airline last month announced plans to restore 40 per cent of its normal flight schedules by July 1, making 90 per cent of its route network active again. 

It added on May 12 that all crew will wear face masks or coverings in-flight and that passengers will have to follow suit. 

A new ‘Healthy Flying’ notice on the Ryanair homepage tells passengers to check-in online, download boarding passes to their smartphones and ‘wear a face mask/covering at all times, both in the airport and onboard your flight’.

It also encourages fliers to check their temperature before travelling.

‘It may be checked again at the airport,’ the site says. ‘If you do not pass this, you will be asked to return home.’

The rules come as Priti Patel this week insisted a 14-day quarantine for UK arrivals is ‘essential to save lives’ – despite the government’s own scientific advisers distancing themselves from the plan.

The Home Secretary defied a huge Tory revolt led by former Prime Minister Theresa May to tell MPs the blanket rule will come into force from Monday, with the next review not due to happen until the end of the month.

She admitted it will hit businesses hard – and confirmed ‘travel corridors’ are being considered to low-infection countries.

MailOnline has contacted Ryanair for comment. 

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