Ryanair Review: FR3223 from Brussels-Charleroi to Manchester

On August 20, 2024, we flew a Ryanair service from Brussels South Charleroi Airport to Manchester Airport – a route we have flown many times in the past. However, this would be no straightforward flight.

Booking this flight on August 6, the price came to a total of 29.99 EUR for a basic fare (only a small cabin bag was permitted). The service: FR3223, which was operated by a Boeing 737-800, specifically EI-DHA, one of the various aircraft Ryanair has retrofitted with new winglets. On this particular afternoon, FR3223 was the aircraft’s fourth flight of the day. It kicked things off with a roundtrip service to Alicante from Manchester, followed by Manchester to Brussels Charleroi, which landed at 17:56 for our 18:25 departure.

An unruly passenger delays Ryanair FR3223

Boarding was completed seamlessly by the staff at Brussels South Charleroi Airport, but as we approached the runway for takeoff, the atmosphere on EI-DHA changed. A commotion occurred halfway up the cabin (Ryanair’s random seat allocator had placed us towards the front of the aircraft), which the cabin crew attended to immediately. Moments later, a decision was made to return the aircraft to the terminal; something serious was certainly going down.

Shouting could be heard before members of the airport’s security came on board. One of the pilots then made an appearance. The local police then entered the aircraft. Passengers suddenly gasped as the troublemaker was forcefully hauled down the aisle. Clearly resisting – and evidently intoxicated – the passenger was eventually forced to the floor at the front of the aircraft and placed in handcuffs. Conversations suggested the passenger had become aggressive, which caused concern for those around him.

FR3223 takes off over an hour late

Once the passenger had been escorted off the plane and various formalities had been completed, EI-DHA was once again steered towards the runway. The flight took off at 19:29 local time – over an hour after our scheduled departure – into the turbulent clouds that had accumulated over Charleroi. We remained on a straight path until banking right over Mons. After flying over Ghent, we took a left turn towards the United Kingdom.

The seatbelt sign was turned off about 20-25 minutes into the flight. It was then that the cabin crew brought out the drinks trolley; we didn’t purchase anything. Before we knew it, the seatbelt sign was turned back on – our approach into Manchester was well underway. At 19:32 local time, we slammed down onto the runway.

Ryanair delivers again

Despite the pre-takeoff incident and initial turbulence, the flight itself was pleasant. Regarding the troublesome passenger, the cabin crew certainly deserves plenty of praise for their quick and decisive actions. They are there to keep us safe, and they did a fantastic job handling this situation, which was no doubt scary for many.

But in terms of the Ryanair experience overall, the airline delivered the low-cost, no-frills service that you expect. We ultimately just wanted to get from A to B as quickly as possible and at the lowest cost. Admittedly, the cabin could have been a lot cleaner – there were some crushed crisps under my seat – but with the quick turnaround times that Ryanair has, it’s certainly difficult to keep an aircraft in tip-top condition throughout the day.

Flight Summary

This article was updated on September 23, 2024.

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