A Strathclyde University PhD law student has sparked a PR nightmare for easyJet after a tweet he sent criticising the airline saw one of its staff members threaten not to allow him on board a flight.
Mark Leiser was booked on a 9:20pm flight last night from Glasgow to London which was delayed for over an hour. Concerned about missing the last train into London, and the connection issues faced by a fellow passenger, he tweeted the following.
Flight delayed 90min. Soldier going to miss last connection & @easyjet refusing to help pay for him to get to Portsmouth. Get right into em!
— Mark Leiser (@mleiser) September 24, 2013
The tweet immediately came to the attention of easyJet staff, prompting Leiser to make the revelation that has inflamed Twitter against everyone’s favourite orange budget airline.
Manager from easyjet just said I couldnt board flight because I criticised @easyJet on twitter before boarding the flight.
— Mark Leiser (@mleiser) September 24, 2013
Subsequently, Leiser — whose PhD is on the effects, limits and the legitimacy of regulation and law in cyberspace — quotes the easyJet member of staff as suggesting that his tweet complaining about the airline had somehow negated his right to travel.
"You're a lawyer. You know u can't tweet stuff like that and expect to get on an @easyJet flight."
— Mark Leiser (@mleiser) September 24, 2013
Gladly, Leiser was eventually let on the flight, with easyJet tweeting this apology this morning.
@mleiser Hi Mark, we are sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident. NO passenger will be denied boarding due to comments made on …
— easyJet (@easyJet) September 25, 2013