Don’t get mad: Get Evans!
BBC presenter battles British Airways on Twitter after being refused boarding as his flight was ‘full’
HAVE you ever been refused on a flight? BBC DJ Chris Evans was refused boarding by British Airways at Nice Airport this weekend – and did not delay in telling the world about it.
The Radio 2 presenter had turned up in time for the evening flight to London but was turned away “because the flight is full” and immediately took to Twitter to complain and ask BA to apologise to his BBC bosses.
He tweeted: “British Airways. So let me get this right. I have a ticket but I’m not on the flight. Can you tell the BBC why I won’t be in work tmr pls ?”
Evans said he was then apparently told “to wait for nxt flight but ‘Highly unlikely you'll get on’ Bizarre way to run a business.”
No doubt worried by the bad publicity, British Airways responded directly – giving some force to the rule that complaints on social media get a faster response than writing, emailing or phoning. But ordinary passengers would perhaps not have received the response BA gave Evans:
“B.A now offering to give me preferential service. No thanks. As my very wise mate always says. Don't complain, change. Bye Bye. B.A. S.W.L.K”
B.A now offering to give me preferential service. No thanks. As my very wise mate always says. Don't complain, change. Bye Bye. B.A. S.W.L.K— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) May 4, 2015
Heading for the bar he tweeted some support for Nice Airport staff, saying: “French airport staff being brilliant by the way. They have to deal with the flack that has nothing to do with them. Extremely tolerant”.
Eventually, and probably much to BA’s relief, a passenger turned up without his girlfriend and Evans said “Looks like I am half of the new happy couple. My turn to buy the drinks”.
Another twist. Lovely chap has turned up without his girlfriend. Looks like I am half of the new happy couple. My turn to buy the drinks.— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) May 4, 2015
Fellow Twitter users "commiserated", telling him “they’re not being nice in Nice”, “happens all the time to lesser mortals”, “easy jet run better Nice->Ldn service” and “@richardbranson, want to please 10 million people? See if you can get @achrisevans back to Blighty from Nice tonight! #virginatlantic”
Evans had been staying near Cannes for the weekend preparing for the return of TFI Friday on Channel 4 on June 12 and when he finally got back to the UK tweeted the happy news he would be at the BBC bright an early “Tmr I will be mostly back on Radio 2, tho' they'll always be a little part of me forever at that B.A. check in desk. Ma Cherie Je t'adore.”
Tmr I will be mostly back on Radio 2, tho' they'll always be a little part of me forever at that B.A. check in desk. Ma Cherie Je t'adore.— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) May 4, 2015
Hey hey. Live from er - somewhere near Cannes
https://t.co/1jXyUYQacf— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) May 2, 2015
