Briton banned from flights after wearing all his excess clothes, Latest World News - The New Paper
World

Briton banned from flights after wearing all his excess clothes

This article is more than 12 months old

A British tourist was barred twice from flying home at Iceland's Keflavik International Airport, after he turned up in eight pairs of pants and 10 shirts.

Mr Ryan Carney Williams, who goes by Ryan Hawaii on Twitter, reportedly did so to avoid paying for excess luggage on his British Airways (BA) flight to London on Jan 10.

According to local news website Iceland Monitor, Mr Williams was denied boarding by BA for donning all the clothes that would not fit into his check-in luggage.

He was later arrested for being rude and for refusing to leave the flight desk when asked to do so, the report said.

Mr Williams documented the incident on his Twitter account, where he was filmed draped in multiple clothing.

"They won't even let me go on," he said in the video.

He called the airline "despicable" and questioned if he was a victim of racial profiling.

Mr Williams said on Twitter that he could not afford the excess baggage fee of £90 (S$160), "as a result of being left homeless in Iceland for over a week".

He was later prevented from boarding his easyJet flight the next day at the gate, reported the Evening Standard.

An easyJet spokesman told the London newspaper: "The captain and the ground crew were concerned about reports from the previous day, so we provided a refund and he travelled with another airline."

Mr Williams posted a screenshot of his exchange with the low-cost carrier, which initially did not offer him a refund.

In a statement, BA said its hand baggage fares from Iceland are from £47 each way.

It also denied in a statement to The Telegraph that the incident was related to Mr Williams' race.

"The decision to deny boarding was absolutely not based on race. We do not tolerate threatening or abusive behaviour from any customer and will take the appropriate action," it said.

It was reported that Mr Williams made it home on a Norwegian airline. - THE STRAITS TIMES

WORLD