The man was barred from two flights in the space of two days.
A man claims to have been barred from boarding two flights from Iceland to the United Kingdom on two consecutive days for wearing all of his clothes in an effort to avoid baggage fees he couldn’t afford.
London resident Ryan Williams, AKA Ryan Hawaii, posted videos to his Twitter account in which he claimed he was denied access to a British Airways flight departing Keflavik Airport on 10 January after taking multiple items of clothing from his luggage – including eight pairs of pants and 10 shirts – and wearing them in an effort to avoid baggage fees.
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/951088642881138688
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/statuses/951088947777671168
Williams claimed he took such a drastic measure as he was unable to afford the baggage fees and that he had been told by British Airways staff that he wouldn't be allowed board the flight even after doing so.
He was subsequently prevented from boarding an easyjet flight while adopting a similar approach the next day, as, according to the airline, the captain and crew said they had concerns about his previous behaviour, making him ineligible for a refund.
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/951542812004282368
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/951791333953409024
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/951968164115550208
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/952357335841812485
Williams described his ordeal in a series of posts and videos on Twitter, including a screenshot of a direct message exchange with easyjet in which he suggests he might sue the airline and a video post to British Airways in which he suggests he was subject to racial profiling. He has since been refunded by easyjet.
Speaking to Storyful, a British Airways representative said that they explained their rules to him and offered to put him on a different flight to London. The decision to deny him boarding “was absolutely not based on race,” the airline representative said.
“We do not tolerate threatening or abusive behaviour from any customer, and will always take the appropriate action.”
Williams has since arrived back in the UK after boarding a flight with a Norwegian airline.
https://twitter.com/RYAN_HAWAII/status/953236794987999234
