Popstar left 'humiliated and crying' claiming she wasn't allowed to board flight
Musician Sharon Corr has taken to social media to say she was refused boarding on a recent flight home to Dublin.
The popstar - known as a member of the band The Corrs - claimed that Ryanair wouldn't let her on the plane because she was travelling with her violin, and the 54 year old said she was left 'humiliated and crying' during the incident.
Sharon, who has lived in Madrid since 2018, wrote on Sunday (June 30) that she was booked on a Ryanair flight home to Dublin, where she was travelling to rehearse for her upcoming tour dates with her sisters and brother.
She said: "Today I was booked on a @ryanair flight. I got up at 6 in the morning I was not allowed on the flight because I had my violin. I was in the airport for 7 hours.
Sharon - who will be playing with The Corrs this summer at BST Hyde Park, supporting Shania Twain, before festival dates in Spain - continued: "I had to return home after searching for my checked in bags. Humiliated, angry then crying as only a good woman can do.
"Why was I going to Dublin? My home turf, to rehearse, to go on tour! I'm beyond disappointed. Michael O'Leary shame one you."
When OK! contacted Ryanair for comment, a spokesperson said: "This passenger was not refused travel from Madrid to Dublin (30 Jun). This passenger’s violin exceeded the cabin bag dimensions permitted for her flight, and therefore was required to pay a standard gate baggage fee to place it in the hold of the aircraft. This passenger refused to pay the standard fee and instead chose not to travel on this flight.”
Ryanair also state on their website that passengers may "carry any music equipment onboard as long as it fits within Cabin Bag allowance. For smaller music equipment like guitars or violins that exceed your cabin baggage dimensions, you can opt to pay an extra seat fare for it. To do this, you must purchase an extra flight ticket and seat.
"If your equipment does not fit in your Cabin Bag allowance and you do not wish to purchase an extra seat, you can choose to check it in against payment of a fee."
Sharon relocated to Madrid with her barrister husband Gavin Bonnar and their two children Cal, 18, and Flori, 16, in 2018. However, a year later, Sharon and her husband split - after 18 years together.
In a interview with The Sunday Times, Sharon said that she was enjoying the single life: "I've been dabbling. I'm browsing the buffet, let's put it that way.
"It's really nice being single and being out there again, and you know what, a little bit of love and affection goes a long way. I'm very happy right now. I just feel so comfortable in my own skin and that's something that has come with age."
