Ryanair has responded to former Sri Lanka cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara over an incident at Dublin Airport, claiming he refused to provide required visa documentation during immigration checks. However, the airline’s reported statement does not directly address his allegations of racism, discriminatory treatment and threatening behaviour by its staff.
Sangakkara accused Ryanair gate personnel of mistreating him and his family while boarding a flight from Dublin to Bristol on October 28.
In a statement reported by The Irish Times and other international media outlets, Ryanair said Sangakkara had refused to provide the necessary visa documentation when requested by a gate agent carrying out mandatory immigration checks.
The airline said the required checks were subsequently completed, his eligibility to travel was verified and he travelled on his scheduled flight.
However, the statement did not specifically respond to Sangakkara’s allegations concerning the language used by airline personnel, their alleged threatening conduct or his claim that the treatment was racially discriminatory.
In his initial social media post, Sangakkara described the experience as shocking and unacceptable, criticising the way staff addressed his family, handled procedures and allegedly threatened them.
He subsequently provided further details of the alleged encounter, claiming that airline personnel had told him that people holding passports like his should expect such treatment.
According to Sangakkara, when he challenged the alleged remark, he was warned that arguing with airline staff could result in him being considered a threat to other passengers and denied boarding.
Sangakkara rejected the suggestion that the treatment amounted to equal application of airline procedures, describing the alleged remarks as racist.
While Ryanair’s explanation addresses the documentation checks that it says prompted the incident, it does not clarify whether the alleged remarks about Sangakkara’s passport were made or whether the conduct of its gate staff has been reviewed.
The airline’s statement also does not indicate whether any internal investigation has been initiated into the accusations of discrimination.
Sangakkara’s allegations have attracted widespread attention on social media, with several users sharing their own experiences of alleged discriminatory treatment while travelling internationally.
The allegations against Ryanair staff have not been independently verified, and the airline has not publicly addressed the specific racism allegations in the statements reviewed.
The incident has raised questions about whether the dispute concerned only mandatory travel documentation or also the manner in which passengers were treated during those checks. (Newswire)