Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara has accused a Ryanair employee of making a racist remark during a dispute involving his family’s travel documents at Dublin Airport.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 28, as Sangakkara and his family prepared to return to Bristol following a two-day visit to Dublin to celebrate his 49th birthday.
Sangakkara, who scored 12,400 runs during a 134-Test international career, said the disagreement began when airport staff requested that his family produce their electronic visas before boarding their flight.
He told Daily Mail Sport that he had taken additional steps to ensure the family complied with the requirements for travelling on their Sri Lankan passports.
Confusion Over E-visa Requirements Leads to Boarding Dispute
Sangakkara said his family had visited the airport’s visa check desk approximately two hours before boarding.
According to him, staff at the desk assured them that they would not need to display the e-visas again on their mobile phones at the boarding gate. He said they had also passed through security before being asked to produce the documents.
However, when they reached the gate, they were instructed to step aside and download their electronic visas, a process Sangakkara said could take several minutes.
He explained that he agreed to follow the instruction but asked staff to allow him sufficient time because the family had already received different information from the visa desk.
Sangakkara Says Staff Member Shouted at Him During Document Check
While attempting to access the electronic visas, Sangakkara alleged that a female Ryanair employee raised her voice and repeatedly demanded that he hurry up.
He recalled the staff member telling him: “Hurry up! Hurry up! You have to do this quickly, otherwise I’m going to close boarding. Hurry up and get this done. Step aside now.”
Sangakkara said he asked for more time to complete the process and explained that the conflicting instructions had caused confusion.
He then told the employee that her manner was rude. According to his account, she responded by accusing him of being argumentative and aggressive.
Sangakkara said the employee also warned that she would regard him as a threat to other passengers and refuse to allow him to board.
Former Cricket Captain Alleges Racist Remark Was Made
Sangakkara said the confrontation escalated when the employee allegedly told him: “You people with your kinds of passports should expect this.”
His wife, Yehali, challenged the remark, telling the employee that it was offensive and questioning why they were being shouted at while trying to access their travel documents.
She also explained that the family had enjoyed their visit to Dublin and had encountered friendly people throughout their stay, describing the employee as the only person who had treated them rudely.
Sangakkara said he considered the comment racist and stressed that his complaint was based on what he believed had happened rather than an attempt to attract publicity.
Family Eventually Allowed to Board After Further Exchange
The dispute continued when Sangakkara asked the employee for her name so he could submit a formal complaint.
He alleged that she refused to identify herself and warned that continuing to ask for her name could result in the family being denied boarding.
Sangakkara said his wife then calmly explained the circumstances of their visit to Ireland and why they had been attempting to access the electronic visas.
He said she also explained why the employee’s alleged remark was offensive.
The family was eventually permitted to board the scheduled flight from Dublin to Bristol.
Ryanair Rejects Passenger’s Account of Visa Dispute
Ryanair gave a different account of the incident, stating that Sangakkara had refused to provide the required visa documentation when requested by a gate agent conducting mandatory immigration checks.
In a statement, the airline said the checks were completed and the passenger’s eligibility to travel was verified before he boarded the October 28 flight to Bristol.
Sangakkara disputed the airline’s description, insisting that he had never refused to show the electronic visas.
He said he would have accepted criticism if he had deliberately declined to provide the documents, but maintained that he had been attempting to comply with the instructions despite the confusion.
Sangakkara Submits 2,000-Word Formal Complaint
Following the incident, Sangakkara completed Ryanair’s complaint form and submitted an account of approximately 2,000 words detailing what happened at the airport.
He said he had been informed that the airline would respond within eight days.
Sangakkara added that the family had enjoyed their time in Dublin and regretted that the airport confrontation had overshadowed their return journey.
He said he had not sought publicity over the matter but believed the alleged treatment was unacceptable and should not happen to him or any other passenger.
