Bologna, July 28, 2026 – “My return journey? A real odyssey.” No, this time the protagonist is not Ulysses, but a citizen of Sardinian origin residing in Bologna, who left Sunday evening to return to the Emilian capital: a trip that, at least on paper, should have been simple and quick, but instead suddenly turned into a night marked by long waits and numerous delays.
As the resident recounts, in fact, the Ryanair flight he boarded to return home was scheduled to depart from Cagliari airport at 11:50 PM, arriving at Marconi around 1:15 AM. “At that time, however – notes the citizen – the plane was still stationary and, in the middle of the night, the passengers were just waiting for the moment to take off.”
The flight from Cagliari to Bologna
Initially “the flight was initially indicated as delayed, with a new departure set for 12:55 AM, then postponed to 1:05 AM. However, once on board, we remained completely still inside the aircraft until about 2 AM, without receiving any explanation or clear communication about the reasons for the prolonged delay. With the airport services now closed, it was impossible to buy food or drinks and neither the airline nor the airport provided comfort items or support – the citizen claims -. The waiting areas were crowded and lacked enough seats, with elderly and children visibly worn out by fatigue.”
“No taxi was available to return home”
After takeoff, the flight landed in the Felsinea city around 3 AM, but the ordeal – according to the citizen’s account – was not yet over. “The availability of taxis at Bologna airport was very limited and many passengers had to wait about an hour before being able to get home,” he says. “I myself, residing in Borgo Panigale, waited for a car for fifty minutes and arrived home just before 4 AM: I probably would have arrived sooner if I had walked, but by then it was late at night.”
The passenger’s bitterness: “More assistance must be guaranteed”
With a clear mind, what remains is therefore a strong sense of bitterness. “It is not the first time I have experienced significant delays, especially when I travel at night – concludes the citizen – but even this time, despite the discomforts I encountered, I still managed to handle the situation as best I could. At the same time, however, witnessing the fatigue, the children’s cries, and the difficulties especially experienced by elderly people made me reflect on the need for such episodes not to happen again and for greater assistance to be guaranteed to passengers in case of prolonged delays.”
