PASSENGERS returning to Bournemouth from a holiday hotspot endured a five-hour delay and had to be ferried by bus just 50 feet to another plane.

The problems began when a mechanical issue with one of the Ryanair plane’s flaps developed on last Wednesday’s 6.45pm flight from Alicante, said passenger Ross Bellamy, from Winton.

Ross, 31, regularly uses the service to visit his parents, who live in Spain. He said passengers were told to stay on the plane “in the searing heat”.

He added that, after more than two hours on the apron, they were told that the fault could not be fixed and passengers would have to transfer to another plane.

Ross said: “People funnelled quickly out of the aircraft for their first bit of fresh air in four hours.

“Then I saw people being called back into the airport and another PA announcement from the Dutch captain saying that, despite the new aircraft being only 50ft away, we’d have to wait until buses picked us up to take us to it – cue gasps and rage from the exhausted passengers.”

Ross added that there was another half-hour delay while a bus driver was found.

He said the plane touched down in Dorset at 12.30am.

Ross has since spoken to Ryanair, who he said did not apologise and because it was a technical issue they were not at fault.

He added: “The flight contained many young children, babies and OAPs in heat, which gets up to 80 degrees or higher, even at night time in Spain.

“Despite the free water and air conditioning, the conditions on board were unhealthy and dangerous to some people.”

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “To avoid an extended delay and possible flight cancellation a replacement aircraft was dispatched to operate the flight.

“Ryanair crew explained the nature of the delay and apologised to passengers.

“Ryanair once again apologises for any inconvenience caused. However, Ryanair can never put passenger convenience before passenger safety.”