Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe did some venting Monday on social media after the airline Virgin Australia refused to allow him and his children to bring hoverboards aboard an airliner.
Crowe sent out a tweet Monday saying: “Ridiculous @VirginAustralia. No Segway boards as luggage? Too late to tell us at airport. Kids and I offloaded. Goodbye Virgin. Never again.”
He later followed with a post saying: “@VirginAustralia I’m awaiting your reply, where is your duty of responsibility in this? Why not tell me when I am booking my ticket?”
Media reports have noted that the hoverboard, which has been a popular holiday gift this season, has been dogged by problems, including spontaneously erupting in flames. The cause of the fires has not been determined, but may be attributable to problems with the device’s lithium batteries.
Virgin Australia responded to Crowe via Twitter, advising him of the safety concerns and noting that all major Australian airlines, along with many around the world, have banned hoverboards. The company also noted that it included information about the ban in his booking confirmation and check-in reminder emails.
Virgin Australia also tweeted this message to Crowe: “We understand your frustration, however please appreciate that safety is our number one priority.”
Most major U.S. airlines have also banned hoverboards on flights.
Get over yourself Russie
The fact that you are so out of touch with regular folk that you dont know about this widely publicized danger is an indictment of you sir. I will now fly Virgin anytime knowing you wont bring your incendiaries on board
Touche’ TV Dude. I applaud Virgin Airlines for their strong stance on safety and am glad that safety is their number one priority. Anytime that a new device has a fire hazard concern, all airlines should ban the device until further research is done. It is obvious that the Hover-boards are a fire hazard.
It seems like the Crowe family should have left the hover-boards rather than not board a plane and book flights on a separate airline at full fare holiday prices. My guess is that Mr Crowe was being a good dad and trying to make sure that the families’ Christmas gifts made it home with the family. Many of us (myself included) get frustrated when something happens that disappoints our children and we then blow out stack.
Thank you to Virgin Airlines for taking a firm position on safety.
Take a private jet like the rest of Hollywood