Keith Girard
Russell Crowe exploded on Twitter in a classic case of celebrity entitlement after an airline refused to let his children board with hoverboards. (Photo: Getty)
Hoverboards were one of the hot new toys this Christmas–literally. Several made news by spontaneously catching fire because of unstable batteries.
Airlines around the world banned them on flights because of the potential danger they posed to passengers and crew.
In the United States, Delta, American and United Airlines have banned them. Quantas in Australia has done the same, according to local reports.
But Crowe thought he should be an exception.
Russell Crowe’s twitter rant at Virgin Australia Airlines.
The incident unfolded on a Virgin Australia airline flight from Sydney to Crowe’s vacation destination. He was traveling with his two sons. Both were carrying new Segway hoverboards.
After they were told the scooters weren’t allowed, Crowe stalked out of the airport and blasted the airline on Twitter.
“Ridiculous. No Segway boards as luggage? Too late to tell us at airport. Kids and I offloaded. Goodbye Virgin. Never again,” he Tweeted.
Apparently Crowe doesn’t bother to read the newspapers. Publicity about the danger posed by the boards has been widely reported.
The 51-year-old actor complained that the airline should have told him about its policy when he bought his ticket.
Virgin Australia confirmed today (Dec. 29) the actor left the airport without boarding, according to London’s Daily Mail.
Virgin implemented the rule change with other airlines earlier this month. It’s also listed on its Web site.
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