Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has accused the Ireland-based airline, Ryanair, staff at Dublin Airport of racist and discriminatory behaviour towards him and his family, detailing an alleged exchange in which he was told that people with passports like his should expect such treatment.
The incident came to light after Sangakkara took to social media platform X on Wednesday to share his experience with the airline's gate personnel.
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He described the interaction as shocking and alleged that staff had behaved in a threatening manner while mishandling procedures.
Sangakkara also criticised the tone used by the personnel, calling the experience unacceptable for any passenger. He added that it was his first bad experience in Dublin.
ALSO READ: Kumar Sangakkara Alleges 'Threatening', 'Discriminatory' Behaviour By Ryanair Gate Staff
The former Sri Lanka skipper's post triggered a discussion on social media, with one user accusing him of feeling entitled and expecting preferential treatment from the airline.
The 49-year-old, however, responded strongly to the accusation, explaining why he believed the incident went beyond a disagreement over standard airline procedures.
In his response, Sangakkara said that a member of the staff had allegedly told him that people with passports like his should expect such treatment.
He further claimed that when he and his family objected to the remark, they were threatened with being considered a danger to other passengers and potentially denied boarding.
Calling the alleged remark racist, Sangakkara wrote: “When told people like you with your kind of passports should expect this treatment and that if we argued against that obviously disgusting comment, we would be considered a threat to other passengers and not boarded, is not treating everyone exactly the same, but it is racist.”
The incident also drew a response from Sanjiva Weerawarana, CEO of WSO2, who shared his own experiences of discrimination in Western countries.
Sangakkara acknowledged his experience and responded: “It is quite jarring when you experience it.”
Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, County Dublin. It is among Europe's largest airlines and operates flights across several destinations.
The airline, however, disputed Sangakkara's account. According to a report by The Irish Times, Ryanair said the former cricketer had refused to provide the required visa documentation when requested by a gate agent.
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The airline maintained that its employee was carrying out mandatory immigration checks and that Sangakkara travelled to Bristol after his eligibility to fly was verified.
The former Sri Lanka captain has not shared further details about the circumstances surrounding the alleged confrontation beyond his posts on social media.
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