What started as a simple snack order aboard a Ryanair flight turned into a headline-making debacle when a British mother was escorted off the plane by police for an unpaid £7 bill. The bizarre incident, which occurred on March 28, 2025, has sparked a mix of amusement, outrage, and debate across the UK and beyond.
Ann-Marie Murray, a 55-year-old housing association worker from Gloucester, was returning home from a birthday trip in Tenerife when the situation unfolded mid-air. Her crime? A failed card transaction for a snack pack—consisting of Pringles, a bottle of water, and a can of cola—that she had already consumed before realizing the payment hadn’t gone through.
Despite offering to settle the debt upon landing, flight attendants took a hard stance. When the plane touched down in Bristol, three police officers boarded the aircraft and escorted her off, leading to a highly embarrassing and now widely discussed ordeal. While the bill was eventually paid at a cash machine, the incident raises important questions about airline policy, customer service, and how small misunderstandings can escalate unnecessarily.
Who Is Ann-Marie Murray?
Background of the Passenger Involved
Ann-Marie Murray isn’t a celebrity or serial troublemaker. She’s a working professional with a clean travel record and was enjoying a relaxing birthday getaway in Tenerife. A mother and housing association employee, Murray had never been involved in any flight-related incident prior to this one. That’s partly why the public reaction has leaned toward sympathy—after all, who hasn’t had a card glitch or tech failure while traveling?
Murray’s reputation has not been questioned during this episode. In fact, she has expressed deep embarrassment and frustration over what she calls a “massive overreaction” by the airline staff. From her perspective, she did nothing wrong—except fall victim to a technology failure at 30,000 feet.
Her Account of What Happened Mid-Flight
According to Murray, she ordered a few snacks during the Ryanair flight from Tenerife to Bristol—a fairly standard request. The total came to £7, and she attempted to pay using her debit card. However, the card machine didn’t work. Whether it was a malfunction or a connectivity issue, the crew allegedly could not process the payment.
Murray explained the situation and offered to settle up upon arrival. She even requested that the crew note the error or charge her at the destination, believing the situation could easily be resolved on the ground.
But the cabin crew had other ideas.
The Flight Details
Route from Tenerife to Bristol
Flight FR7281 was scheduled from Tenerife South Airport to Bristol International. The flight itself was uneventful until the snack dispute occurred approximately halfway through the journey. As passengers enjoyed their in-flight meals or naps, a misunderstanding over a small snack bill was brewing in the background.
The incident did not result in delays, diversions, or altercations. However, the quiet tension grew during the second half of the flight, and by the time the aircraft touched down, the police were already waiting at the gate.
Timeline of the Incident Onboard
- Mid-flight: Ann-Marie orders snacks totaling £7
- Payment attempt: Card machine fails to process the payment
- Resolution attempt: Murray offers to pay upon landing
- Crew reaction: Decision made to alert airport police
- Arrival at Bristol: Three officers board the plane and escort her off
- Final resolution: Murray is taken to an ATM to pay the £7 bill
According to Murray, she wasn’t given a chance to explain or resolve the matter peacefully once the plane landed. Instead, she was treated like a criminal for what she calls a minor and easily rectifiable issue.
The £7 Snack That Caused the Trouble
What She Ordered: Pringles, Water, and Cola
There’s something almost comedic about the items at the center of this debacle—one small can of Pringles, a bottle of water, and a fizzy drink. Not exactly the stuff of international smuggling or high-stakes theft.
Still, in the eyes of Ryanair, it was an unpaid balance that violated their strict in-flight policies. The airline operates under a “no credit” rule, meaning all transactions must be successfully completed on the spot. If the card doesn’t work and no cash is available, that’s where the road ends—for the passenger, at least.
Card Machine Failure and No Backup Cash
In a world increasingly reliant on digital payments, technical hiccups are not uncommon. But for budget airlines like Ryanair, these mishaps can turn into zero-tolerance situations. Murray claims that she was not carrying cash, relying on her debit card for all expenses throughout the trip.
When the in-flight payment terminal failed to process her card, there were no alternative options offered—no IOU forms, no tab to settle later, no flexibility. Even when she reassured the staff that she would pay on the ground, her words fell on deaf ears.
