Ryanair charges 9-year-old girl €10 to give back lost purse

A young Irish girl who lost her purse on a Ryanair flight, was shocked when she was forced to pay €10 for its return. Emma Lally, nine, misplaced her purse while buying presents on a flight home to Dublin from Spain.

Although her father Sean Lally was able to track down the purse after a series of phone calls to Dublin Airport, Emma was left in tears after being told she must pay €10 (£8.50) to reclaim it. Ryanair uses lost property provider Greencap, which charges a €10 administrative fee.

Mr Lally was grateful that Ryanair staff had handed in his daughter's purse but is still fuming over the charge, particularly when it involved a child. I was a bit annoyed that I had to pay back money for something that was ours,' Mr Lally said. 'I was delighted to get it back, but she's only a child.'



Emma had written her personal details inside the purse, which contained €42 in cash which she had saved from her holiday spending money.

Mr Lally said: 'Her name and address were written inside the purse in a child's handwriting. It was very obvious that it was a child's purse. She's a good kid and she went away and had a little think about it, and came to me and said she wanted to give me the money.

'Emma was delighted to get it back but she couldn't believe that she had to pay the money. I don't see why it can't be given back without a charge.'