Ryanair has refused to refund man unable to fly out to Austria to watch a football match after sustaining injuries in the Huntingdon train stabbing.
The famously uncompromising Irish low cost airline told 61-year-old Stephen Crean he should’ve taken out insurance to be reimbursed for his flight.
Mr Crean was one of 11 passengers on an LNER train to London taken to hospital after he was stabbed seven times while trying to confront the knifeman.
He was forced to cancel an awaited trip to see his side Nottingham Forest take on Austrian team Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday.
But Ryanair stuck rigidly to its ‘no cancellations’ policy, insisting that all its fares are non-refundable.
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It said in a statement: ‘All Ryanair air fares are non-refundable, which is why we strongly recommend passengers take out travel insurance in order to protect themselves if they can’t travel.’
According to the carrier’s terms and conditions, the sole possible valid reason for a refund is the bereavement of a close family member, such as a parent, child or partner.
Mr Crean recalled scenes of panic as the train travelled through Cambridgeshire.
He said he made his way down the train through the buffet car after hearing passengers scream in another carriage.
The stabber, he recalled, was brandishing an ‘oversized kitchen knife’.
Another passenger named Astrid told the BBC that Mr Crean had ‘saved her life’ after putting his body between her and the attacker.
Mr Crean sustained injuries to his back, hand, head and bottom before managing to hide himself in a toilet.
He was later found by police and taken to Addenbrooke’s hospital, from where he was discharged on Sunday.
However he explained he is still awaiting plastic surgery and has stitches on all his fingers.
‘I don’t know how long it’s going to take’, he said, when asked about his recovery.
Nottingham Forest donated £10,000 towards his treatment via a fundraiser set up by club fans, which has since raised more than £50,000.
The club has also reportedly offered Mr Crean a free season ticket for next year and an invitation to fly with the team to a Europa League match.
The train attacker, Anthony Williams, 32, has since been charged on 10 counts of attempted murder.
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