Fans left speechless at Exeter's response to Flybe ticket incident
Supporters have reacted angrily to a statement issued by Exeter Rugby Club in response to reports that former Flybe employees were turned away from a home game at Sandy Park last weekend.
A number of former Flybe employees claimed they were refused entry to Exeter Chiefs’ game against Bath on Saturday despite having tickets, and were informed that a management decision had been made by the club to cancel the tickets following the airline’s collapse.
Flybe, which was based in Exeter, went into administration last Wednesday.
The club have now issued a statement responding to the claims, confirming that the tickets were cancelled based on Flybe’s failure to “conclude a commercial agreement.”
The club have offered all former Flybe staff tickets to a Premiership Rugby Shield game between Exeter Braves and Saracens Storm next month, but did not apologise for the cancellation of tickets.
This has led to an angry backlash from supporters on Twitter, who felt the club should have at least offered the staff tickets to a Exeter Chiefs game.
“Christ alive, talk about making a bad situation worse. Not a hint of an apology, or acknowledgement of the embarrassment caused to the Flybe staff,” one supporter wrote.
Another said: “Love this club but this is awful. I’m ashamed.”
Another angry supporter felt the tickets would be of little interest to the affected Flybe staff.
“As much as I support the Chiefs, this was disgusting. It amounts to kicking people when they are down through no fault of their own. As for offering them tickets for Monday (a junior match), a lot of folks will be working and may have family that make attending impractical.”
Another supporter wrote: “Those people had just lost their jobs. So you kicked them when they were down & there is NO justification for what you did. It was humiliating and cruel. It would have been the last time anyway after FlyBe’s demise. Shame on you.”
The club had intially declined to comment on the incident before releasing their statement on Monday.
The statement issued by the club read:
“Exeter Rugby Club would today like to issue the following statement in relations to former employees of Flybe being turned away from Sandy Park ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership fixture between Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby.
“Like many people within the city and across Devon, Exeter Rugby Club were saddened to hear of the airline’s demise and the subsequent impact it would have, not only on all of its staff, but also the City of Exeter and the region as a whole.
“Match-day tickets were issued as part of a commercial agreement between the Rugby Club and Flybe. Sadly, Flybe has failed to conclude that commercial agreement, which in turn has led to the cancellation of tickets.
“The Rugby Club had no idea as to who these tickets were issued to, nor for what reason they would be used. We are now aware that some of these tickets have been used for staff incentives.
“Detailed information, however, was sent to senior Flybe management informing them of the fact that any future benefits would no longer be in place. It appears this key information was not forwarded onto those staff who had been allocated tickets for this game and that of future games.
“At a difficult time for all Flybe staff, Exeter Rugby Club would – as a small gesture – like to offer all former staff free entry to the Premiership Rugby Shield encounter between Exeter Braves and Saracens Storm on Monday, April 6.
“To access a ticket for this fixture, staff are asked to bring along a form of proof of employment on the day of the game.”
Watch: Eddie Jones to discuss England future with RFU.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments